The Return of the Shadow
by BeyShadow
Summary: As evil pervades the land of Hyrule once again, a Shadow thought to be lost returns to aid the Hero of Time in his quest to defeat the malevolent forces...this time for good. LinkxSheik, yaoi.
1. Intruder

The Return of the Shadow

**Author Note: **Sheik is a separate male character, and this is a Sheik/Link story. Don't like it? Don't read it.

Rather crappy summary: As evil pervades the land of Hyrule once again, a Shadow thought to be lost returns to aid the Hero of Time in his quest to defeat the malevolent forces...this time for good. LinkxSheik, yaoi.

I loved the games and I loved Sheik. At first, I loved the fact that Sheik was Zelda, but I warmed up to the idea of Sheik being a separate male character. And now, I prefer it. This story is told at multiple characters' points of view, and the chapters get longer, and I should like to think better, as you go along.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Zelda franchise. If I did…well, Sheik would have been a guy and he and Link would have been a lot closer.

This first chapter contains very little dialogue. You could consider this an exposition, of sorts. Don't worry; there will be plenty of it in future chapters. Enjoy!

Chapter 1 Intruder

Link POV

Epona and I heaved a simultaneous sigh of relief as we rounded the last bend in the trail. My lonely little house, set high in the cliffs, rarely had looked so welcoming. Epona stopped in the middle of the rustic courtyard and looked back at me expectantly. I chuckled and slung my leg over the side. "I'm going, I'm going," I said fondly. My dismount was less-than-graceful; Epona moved to the side as I slid down her withers.

Mustering a tiny bit of my remaining energy, I removed her tack and rubbed her down before giving her a scoop of oats. She snorted her thanks and then proceeded to ignore me. With Epona taken care of, I removed my longshot and pulled myself up to the landing of my house.

When Zelda had asked me _why _I felt the need to build my house into the side of a cliff, sixty feet in the air, I told her it was to keep out intruders, which is partially true. The lesser-known, more sentimental reason is that it reminds me of my days in the Kokiri Forest, when I had friends—an especially annoying, glowing-ball-of-light friend in particular.

I opened the door and stepped into the darkness. I concentrated briefly and the torches around the walls burst into flame. I mentally thanked the goddesses for allowing me to keep my spells. Even after all the fighting was over, they still came in handy.

My vision starting to get fuzzy, I stripped down to just my shirt and under shorts. I doused the lights with another wave of my hand and slipped into bed.

Instead of sleep immediately claiming me, as I thought it would, my thoughts started to race.

Several days before, Tatl and Tael had come to me and reported some suspicious activities happening in the Ikana Canyon. Of course, being who I am, I had to investigate.

Goddesses I hate the Ikana Canyon. I consider it to be even more unbearable than the Gerudo Desert. At least the Gerudo Desert has a breeze and some semblance of living things; the Ikana Canyon only boasts a stifling climate and a distinct lack of anything living. Even after I vanquished Majora, the Re-Deads stuck around. Pamela and her father stuck around as well. To each his own, I guess.

The King of the Waste's spirit had also continued to inhabit the old Ikana Castle. As it turned out, the 'suspicious activities' ended up being nothing more than said King getting a tad restless and deciding to terrorize some of the locals for kicks. Asking the goddesses for patience, I had reminded him that such things were strictly forbidden. He was rather sulky about the whole ordeal, or as sulky as a once-glorious warrior king can be. At his request, I played the Elegy of Emptiness (and pointedly ignored the creepy shell I left behind), then went on my way.

Not really in any hurry, I spent a day or so visiting some of my friends around Termina. It was nice to actually be remembered. Once Zelda sealed Ganondorf and sent me back to my original time, no one remembered me anymore. Which is just as well, I guess. People shouldn't have to remember all that I did.

Back then, I had sought out Zelda as soon as I returned to my ten-year old self. Of course, she still remembered me, as well as all that had happened in the other time, as did Saria and the other Sages. After lengthy discussions with Zelda, and her assurance to provide anything I may need, I set about finding the people I once knew and I spent the last eight years building friendships with them again, as well as traveling to new lands and finding new adventures. Sitting about idly is not my strongpoint. My infamous wanderlust has caused Zelda several headaches over the years.

But coming to Termina always serves as a nice reprieve. Anju and Kafei finally got married, even though Anju still towers over him, and Lulu's children grew to be very talented singers. She eventually got around to seeing other people, and she and her agent, Thokau, after several years, tied the knot as well. Cremia and Romani's ranch flourished, especially after everyone who fled from Clock Town saw what a lovely place it was.

However, as much as I enjoy Termina, Hyrule is first and foremost my home. No matter where I go, eventually I feel the need to return to Hyrule. Maybe it's a lingering sense of protectiveness. In any case, Zelda does not like it when I am away for more than a few days at a time. In fact, Zelda had been rather huffy with me when I informed her that I would be gone for several days. She had been on edge a good deal lately, and when I left, she still had not figured out what was wrong. My sojourn in Termina was cut short due to an urgent summons she sent to me via her Sage powers. I had originally planned to just ride straight to the castle, but I was exhausted. I needed rest. Anyway, daylight was only a few hours away.

At some point in my rambling thoughts, I drifted off to sleep. It only seemed a few seconds later, however, that a large crash and thump made me snap awake. With no moon, I could see nothing; but darkness had never hampered me before. I slid the Gilded Sword from its scabbard and gained my feet before the figure on the floor had a chance to even think about moving. I touched the point of my sword to their throat.

Ugh, I thought, there went the rest of the sleep I was going to get for tonight.

I addressed the shadowy figure frozen at my feet.

"You have ten seconds to explain yourself before I shove this through your neck."

Sheik POV

How had I gotten myself into this position? Sheikah are supposed to be shadow itself; graceful, stealthy, collected, powerful, and absolutely silent.

Well, normally I am those things. But after having been summoned from my quiet, peaceful dwelling in the desert by one worried Princess of Hyrule, with news and a mission that was able to unsettle_ me_, a supposedly unflappable shadow, all my best Sheikah qualities had been mysteriously absent.

Which is why I was now sprawled on the floor with a sword at my throat.

The things the princess told me and the mission she entrusted to me (which is what had landed me in this position) less than a week ago still sent chills down my spine…

_An urgent summons sent on the wind by Princess Zelda had me dropping everything and traveling to the castle immediately. _

_On my arrival, Zelda came to greet me herself. She ushered me into her study. "Sheik, a time has come that I hoped would not. The seal on Ganondorf is weakening. Obviously, this is a very disturbing and serious matter. It is made even more so by the fact that we Sages can't detect any activity on Ganondorf's side of the seal at all. This leads us to believe someone on the outside is doing something to destroy the seal. It would take someone with extreme power to even get to the location of the seal, not to mention actively doing something to weaken it."_

Now, I was raised as a Sheikah. Sheikah are taught from almost birth to become deadly killers, to do whatever it takes to protect the royal family, to sacrifice anything and everything, and to, above all, fear no one. But the thought of Ganondorf being on the loose in Hyrule again, with someone with just as much power by his side, sent a cold feeling sweeping through my entire being. Zelda may have used my body in that other time, but I was still there, in the recesses of my mind, and I saw all that Ganondorf did. I saw how the land became a land of destruction and death under him, the terror that spread through the people, and the violent and terrible acts he committed.

A person of his caliber should never be allowed to live. If he did not hold the Triforce of Power in his hands, Zelda could have killed him and been done with it. Unfortunately, that damn Triforce kept him alive, even when he was run clean through with the Master Sword. Repeatedly.

_I considered her words. "So what is it that you want me to do, Princess?"_

"_Well, as a first order of business, I need you to bring Link to me. He is off to the goddesses know where right now, but he should be home in a few days. Sometimes, he needs a little...persuasion to heed my summons to the castle. He makes his home in a small dwelling set back in the cliffs between the Kokiri Forest and Lake Hylia. I shall draw you a map. It can be rather difficult to find. But we need Link for obvious reasons. He's fought Ganondorf before. But I don't want him working alone this time. I'm not going to put that on him again. You will work with him, and help him find whatever it is that is weakening the seal on Ganondorf, and then you will help him beat it. I would not be so worried but for the fact that there is most likely an equally powerful person working on Ganondorf's side."_

I started to get nervous at that point, and not about the whole Ganondorf-returning-to-the-world-thing. As far as Link knew, I was merely a disguise that Princess Zelda used to protect her real identity during the war. He was totally unaware that the real me actually existed.

During those times that I saw him through Zelda's eyes, (technically my own, but I digress) I saw a courageous young man, thrown into a horrible situation, who was doing his best to protect everyone and come out of all of it alive, all with the heart of a child! He cut an impressive figure, too. Tall, fair, and muscular, he was a wonder to watch in combat.

After Zelda revealed herself to Link, the magic that bound us was broken and I was instantly returned to my home in the desert. I had set off immediately back to the castle (Zelda was still my number one priority), but by the time I got there, Ganondorf was put away and Zelda had returned Link to his original time. We talked for hours about all that had transpired. After her many thanks, she then sent me back in time, too, for although Sheikah are supposed to willingly sacrifice anything for the royal family, even seven years of their life, Zelda felt I should get that time back. Before I left, I requested that I keep my memories, because I felt the need to share the burden of knowing.

So, I never got to see Link, and even though I could have sought him out in the past eight years, something kept me back. It probably had something to do with my unrequited feelings for a man who thought I was actually a girl and/or not real. But now, it was all going to change.

Which is how I ended up outside of Link's home. Even with Zelda's "map", I spent four hours scouring the walls between Lake Hylia and the home of the Kokiri before finally finding a narrow pass that wound its way to a small circular enclosure. His house was built high into the surrounding cliffs, and a quiet stream twisted its way across the small valley, and a few trees and small shrubs dotted the landscape. Although it was rather crude, it had a certain charm to it.

Said charm quickly faded when I realized I would have to climb at least sixty feet up a sheer cliff to reach the actual landing of the house.

Sometimes I hate my job.

I stayed in the rocky enclosure for two days, idly sitting around and waiting for the Hero to appear. The tree offered adequate shade and the stream's water was clear and cool. Not sure of his exact arrival time, I stayed awake most of the time. But my sleeplessness caught up with me eventually, and at almost midnight of the second day, I dropped off to sleep, nestled in the branches of the tree.

Seemingly seconds later, I jerked into consciousness and peered around, unsure of the source of the disturbance. A snort made me look down. Beneath me, Epona grazed lazily, her tack hanging on a rung attached to the side of the cliff.

I glanced up to the house. Its windows were dark and nothing stirred within. Link appeared to have used his infamous hookshot to reach the landing.

Damn Hylian.

Did I mention the fact that it was cloudy and moonless? Even though, as a Sheikah, I have a heightened sense of sight, scaling a sixty foot sheer cliff in broad daylight is difficult enough; add total darkness, and everything gets a hell of a lot more complicated.

Cursing, I started my ascent.

After much more swearing and fumbling and near-falls, I finally heaved myself onto the landing. I took a moment to catch my breath. The house remained completely dark and silent. I hated to wake the Hero, but damned if I was going to stay out here all night, sixty feet above the ground on a narrow ledge. I walked to the door and firmly knocked.

There was no movement, no sound.

I knocked again, somewhat louder.

Still, nothing.

My annoyance increased exponentially. Honestly? Wasn't this supposed to be the Hero of Time, a seasoned warrior? Aren't heroes supposed to awaken at the sound of the wind blowing through the grass or some such nonsense?

I sighed and tried the windows. I struck some luck; one of the two was un-locked. I started to ease inward on the window until suddenly it jammed. Swearing softly, I pushed harder. The window would not budge. I stepped back, took a deep breath, then lunged at the window and pushed with all the force I could muster from my small frame. The window shot inward, and I flew through it and landed in an ungraceful heap inside. I did not even have time to sit up before a cold blade pricked my neck and an even colder voice said,

"You have ten seconds to explain yourself before I shove this through your neck."

I sighed internally. Apparently, the Hero didn't take too well to being rudely awakened in the middle of the night.

Great. Just one more thing to make my job even more difficult.

LPOV

The figure on the ground still had not moved or answered my question. Damn this darkness! I couldn't see a thing. Creasing my brow in brief concentration, heat shot through me and ignited in my palm. I held the flame aloft and stared down into the intruder's face.

The face of an illusive shadow stared back, with the same blue exoskeleton-type suit, the same damned head covering, and the same piercing red eyes.

I sucked in a breath and my concentration was broken, plunging the room into darkness once again.

"Sheik?"


	2. Explanations

Chapter 2 Explanations

LPOV

"Hello, Hero," a low voice answered me out of the darkness, "I am sorry that I startled you. I am not here to harm you. In fact, I am unarmed."

I stood stunned for a moment, the softly spoken words unregistered in my brain. What the bloody fuck was going on? How could Sheik be here, when Sheik wasn't _real_?

Comprehension flared and just like that I was _pissed_. Obviously, Zelda was using the disguise again to sneak around. Of course she couldn't know how such an act would affect me, how it would wrench my heart and send my hopes skyward one second and plummeting to the depths in the next. I tried to curb my anger. _Calm down, there's no way she could have known_, I chanted to myself.

I fumbled for a moment before light once again burst to life in my palm.

I dropped the point of my sword. "What's going on, Zelda? Why are you dressed like that?" I cringed mentally at my harsh tone.

Sheik's voice answered me. "Hero, I am not the Princess."

"Ha. You can stop the act now, Zelda. I'm sorry I didn't ride straight to the castle. I was too tired. You didn't have to come all the way out here though."

"I am telling you, Hero, I am not the Princess. Although she did send me here to fetch you, I am not she."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. The way he spoke was certainly different from the way Zelda spoke. Even disguised as a Sheikah, she couldn't hide the imperial tone that comes with ordering people around since birth. This Sheik's tone was much more…subservient.

I stared intently into his eyes. The light from my palm-held flames flickered in his rich ruby-colored orbs. His eyes were different. _Okay_, I thought, _I'll here what 'Sheik' has to say_.

I quickly moved and lit the torches on the walls and got a fire going in the fireplace before returning to stand in front of the Sheikah.

"Alright, I'll listen to you. But I want the whole story."

"Ah, well, it is a rather long story."

"We have time," I answered shortly.

In one lithe movement, Sheik stood and moved to a chair and lowered himself sinuously onto it. I moved to the chair opposite and sat warily on the edge. The Sheikah took a deep breath, gathered his thoughts, and then began to speak.

SPOV

Link must have seen something in his perusal of my eyes that convinced him to listen to my tale. I went back to the beginning and told him everything I could. He was not without questions.

I patiently waited as the Hero interrupted me once again.

"So let me see if I have this right: Zelda possessed--"

"I would prefer the word inhabited," I cut in wryly. Link waved me off and continued speaking.

"She _inhabited_ your body, but you were still there, in the back of your mind, but you had no control over your actions."

"You have it so far."

"And she was in your body for how long?"

"As soon as she and Impa fled the castle, they came straight to my home in the desert. I was waiting for them. Impa completed the…transfer, and then we moved to a hidden location, one that I would be hard pressed to find again. The princess stayed in my body till she revealed herself to you at the Temple of Time."

Link let out a low whistle. He seemed to be taking the situation very well, all things considered. I had gotten up till the point where Zelda returned me to my home. I had not reached the part about why I was here in the first place, but at the moment, it was more essential that Link know who I was. Link's chuckle brought my attention back to him.

"So, Zelda got to experience the joys of going through adolescence as a _boy._"

I raised my eyebrow at the statement, but chuckled in return. "Yes, she did. Things were a little awkward at times, but we did well enough. She started her training in my body the day after the transformation, and quickly became a highly-skilled warrior. She fought in a fair share of battles."

"Mm. You saw everything that she did? You knew what was happening around you?"

"Oh yes. But I could not do anything else. For seven years, I existed only in my mind. Zelda spoke with me constantly, and that alone helped keep me from going insane."

"Why did Zelda let you keep your memories?" he asked. "Up till this point, I thought that only the Sages, Zelda, and I remembered what happened during that time."

"I requested that I keep my memories. Really, I should not even be here. Zelda decided to send me back to my original time because she felt awful about using my body and depriving me of seven years of my life. Sharing the burden of knowing what happened, and sharing the responsibility of not allowing anything like that to happen again, was the least I could do."

He frowned thoughtfully. "How often do you go to the castle?"

"Oh, probably once or twice a year; whenever Zelda needs me. I always go at night, however, so no one sees me. Life is easier when we Sheikah keep to the shadows."

The Hero leaned back in his chair and tilted his head towards the ceiling, seemingly lost in thought. I took the opportunity to look at my surroundings.

Link's house consisted of a single room, with the kitchen and table in the front, and a bed and nightstand in the back. The house was spacious, however, and exuded a comforting warmth. The walls were lined with tightly packed shelves that housed a vast variety of things. The entire east wall was dedicated to holding books of all sizes. The west wall contained an odd assortment of weapons, trinkets, and souvenirs I supposed he had obtained throughout his adventures. The shelves on the south wall stood completely empty. I found this curious, and broke into Link's musings.

"Why do you keep those shelves empty when the others are so crammed with…stuff?"

The Hero smiled, his serious thoughts diverted. "The first day of my journey to save Hyrule terrified me beyond all measure. I had never set foot outside the Kokiri Forest. Hell, I thought I would _die_ if I left the forest. Anyway, after finally getting past that damn owl, I hurried across Hyrule field. I ran as fast as I could, but the gates still rose and left me stranded outside of the Castle Town at night, all alone. I sat on the railing and started to cry. And then the Stalchildren started popping up. I froze. I could not move. I was ten, and here were some rotting skeletal things lumbering towards me. Luckily, an old woman appeared and started waving around her walking stick and yelling. She hustled me back to her house that sat nestled in between the wall of the city and the surrounding cliffs. She let me stay the night, and fed me, but most importantly, she listened to me when I told her my tale, and she believed me, too. At the end of my story, she got up and rummaged through an old trunk and pulled out a leather pouch. This leather pouch, in fact," he indicated the one sitting on the edge of the table. "She told me it had several, ah, unique features, that would greatly aid me on my quest. Apparently, it was her son's. You see, it holds anything. And when I say anything, I mean _anything._"

To demonstrate, the Hero began pulling out item after item. He placed a finely-crafted bow and a quiver of arrows on the table, followed by four bottles, the longshot he used earlier, a compass, a cream-colored Ocarina, some explosives, deku nuts, and a huge hammer that shook the table when he set it down.

"Well, that doesn't even cover half of what all is in here. The pouch weighs the exact same, no matter how much stuff you cram into it. The magic holds the items stable and separate so nothing is jostled or broken, and all I have to do is think about what I want, and that item comes to the front. It's bloody useful, I tell you. When I'm home for an extended period of time, or travel to another world, I place the non-essential items on the shelves."

"Ah."

The Hero grinned and started shoving the items back into his pouch.

"So now that we have that whole sordid affair of your identity sorted out, as well as the mystery that is my pouch, tell me, why has Zelda sent you to me? Has she finally figured out what's been making her so damn moody lately?"

I looked at Link with disapproval.

"Hero, this is not a laughing matter. The _Princess_ has been _out-of-sorts_ for a very good reason. The seal on Ganondorf is weakening. Unfortunately, Zelda can't figure out what is causing it to weaken. There is no activity at all that would denote foul play on Ganondorf's side, and the Princess does not know how someone could get to the seal, let alone weaken it, from this side. She figures that whoever it is, they possess extreme powers."

The sight of Link with his mouth open and bombs held loosely in one hand would have been comical at any other time.

"Din _damn _it. Why can't that bastard stay in the void and leave us _alone_?"

"What do you expect? He's an evil king with way too much power at his disposal. In any case, the Princess wants us at the castle immediately. She notified the Sages, and, on our return, a meeting will be held. The Princess is very worried."

"Oh, I wonder why," Link muttered sarcastically. He stalked across the room to the shelves and started grabbing objects and tossing them in his pouch. "There's only a _fucking evil king_ that might just bust out at any time and join forces with an equally powerful force and take over the whole damn world. You know, he would. Sacrificing seven years of my life, then fighting to stay alive and keep everyone else alive just isn't enough. Nope, he has to go for round two."

I merely raised an eyebrow at his ramblings. He really hadn't changed at all. Back when he fought Ganondorf the first time around, every time I saw him, he would rant and rave and complain and make sarcastic comments about everything. Zelda explained to me that it was a part of his coping mechanism. I really had no room to talk, seeing as how surviving as a Sheikah required a rather cynical sense of humor.

I watched as Link took some rather odd looking masks out of his pouch. He seemed to be deliberating on the usefulness of several of them. He finally chose an ugly gray one that looked like a chunk of stone with colored-on eyes, and one that I recognized, the Mask of Truth. He placed more than twenty masks on the shelves. I couldn't help myself.

"Why do you have all those masks?"

"Umm, I got them when I was in Termina, for doing good deeds for people. Some of them have excellent uses," he replied distractedly. "The two I chose will come in handy. And actually, I have a third mask that I always keep with me. If the Fierce Deity's Mask fell into the wrong hands, the power contained in it could wreak havoc."

I shivered at the thought.

He moved down the row and pulled out a slingshot, boomerang, and some multi-colored beans and threw them onto the shelf. He turned towards me with a speculative look in his eye.

"What weapons do you have?"

"A large amount of throwing knives, two close-combat fighting knives, and some deku nuts, all of which I left under the tree outside."

"Can you shoot?"

I scoffed at this. "Of course."

He threw a bow towards me and I deftly snatched it out of the air. He turned back towards the shelves, looking for more items.

"It's called the Hero's Bow. I got it from a dungeon in Termina. I outgrew it some time ago, but with your small frame, it should fit you quite well."

Small frame?!

Well, to be honest, my frame _was _small. Actually, in most circles, I would be considered down-right petite. My five-foot-four, one hundred pound frame _did_ come in handy, however, when doing Sheikah-y things, like slinking threw the shadows and slithering into exceptionally small areas.

Humph. We couldn't all be six-foot-one, broad shouldered, heavily muscled (yet still so graceful!) heroes with hair the color of gold and…

"I have an extra hookshot around here some—ah! Here it is. It's not as long-range as my longshot, but it will do."

I caught the hookshot gratefully. It would certainly make reaching high places considerably easier.

He placed a few more items on the shelves before turning back to me.

"Er, let me go through my maps real quick, and then we can gather your things and be on our way."

I nodded and leaned against the doorframe.

LPOV

I stole a furtive glance at the Sheikah casually leaning against my doorframe. Sheik was here! Alive, and in my house! I stifled the silly urge to sing.

All those years ago, I must admit I took his not being real rather tough. Of course, I did not have any time to grieve the loss of someone I felt I had become close to, seeing as how I had to go off and fight that damn Ganondorf. Speaking of which…

Goddesses! Why did he always have to ruin everything?

I took a deep breath and rifled through my ridiculously large collection of maps. It always baffled me why I got a new compass from every dungeon I went into. A compass is a compass, right? The maps sure did come in handy though. I thought it was a nice gesture on behalf of the creator of the dungeon, to leave the blueprints behind.

I removed the maps I did not need and stuffed the rest back into my bag. I turned back toward the door and inhaled softly.

Ah, he was just as beautiful as I remembered. Small, lithe, with the streamlined muscles of an acrobat (which were shown off so nicely in that skin-tight body suit); tan, mysterious, with hair the color of ripened wheat and those gorgeous red eyes.

Or eye, I should say, seeing as how he still had that stupid hood-thing wrapped around most of his face.

I sighed and he turned to face me.

"Are you ready to go, Hero?"

"Yeah, but don't call me Hero. Link will do."

"Link, then."

I raised my eyebrows. "That was surprisingly easy. I thought you'd spout some nonsense about your Sheikah-ness requiring you to address me as Hero."

"If you specifically ask that I address you so informally, then obviously I cannot deny the wishes of the Hero of Time."

"So that's how it is," I said with a roll of my eyes.

I gestured for him to proceed. He walked onto the landing while I did a quick once-over, then doused the lights. I glanced at the broken window to my left.

"So was it really necessary to break my window? Couldn't you have knocked?" Sheik looked at me in disbelief and mild disgust before answering.

"I knocked on your door for twenty bloody minutes. It's not my fault you sleep like a rock."

"I'll have you know I spent the last two days traveling non-stop. _I_ was exhausted."

"Mmhmm, whatever you say." In the dim light of dawn, I saw his eyes crinkle and brighten. I felt his smile more than I saw it.

"Why do you still wear that hood thing? It has to get in the way."

"My 'Sheikah-ness', as you so eloquently put it, requires me to cover my face. Besides, a _cowl_ is very practical in the desert. It keeps the sand out of my mouth," he replied with a dainty sniff.

"Well, we're not in the desert anymore," I pointed out logically.

"Oh, quiet you. Let's get this over with."

He pulled out my hookshot and stared down at is suspiciously. With a good deal of hesitation, he aimed it at the target that hung from my tree and fired. Despite my best efforts, I snorted as he face-planted into the tree. Aiming my own longshot at the target, I fired the spring-loaded tool. I grinned as I landed gracefully next to him. He groaned and sat up.

"Tell me, _why_ is your house _sixty feet_ above the ground? Is that really necessary?"

"Well, assuming anyone finds my house, the height will keep the vast majority of intruders out. Besides, it's not my fault you aren't as graceful as me." I assumed an arrogant look. Sheik sputtered indignantly as he rose to his feet.

"I'll have you know I am _incredibly _graceful and stealthy and such. I am practically shadow itself."

"Mm, so that's why you felt the need to bust through my window."

My face split in a full-blown grin as Sheik threw up his hands and stomped off to get his weapons.

I watched curiously as he opened his rucksack and started pulling out knives and putting them…somewhere. Five, ten, fifteen knives?! They weren't even visible on his person! They just seemed to disappear into that blue cloth.

Sheik pulled out two wicked-looking close-combat knives. These knives were longer, almost a foot from hilt to point, and deadly sharp. He placed one in his boot and the other somewhere around the proximity of his hip. I realized the bow and hookshot were nowhere to be seen.

"What did you do with the weapons I gave you?"

"I've got them."

"_Where?_"

He chuckled at my expression. Warmth spread through me at the rich sound. I liked his laugh…a lot.

"You're not the only one with magical articles of clothing," he answered cryptically. "I really would rather not ride or walk to the castle. How about we play together, for old time's sake?"

I grinned and pulled out my Ocarina, as he pulled out his harp from only the goddesses knew where.

"Lead the way."

Author Note: Next chapter: Link and Sheik's arrival at the castle, and the meeting that ensues. Reviews are greatly appreciated!


	3. Arrivals and Meetings

Chapter 3 Arrivals and Meetings

LPOV

Zelda's left eyebrow twitched as a knock sounded once again at the door. She took a breath and waved her hand for the servant to open the door. A nervous young page stood outside, clearly reluctant to have to deliver yet another message to the angry princess from her equally angry father.

"Er, Princess, your father wishes me to tell you that he understands you are in an important meeting, but the state dinner is of more importance at the moment. And he needs you in the um, throne room…er…now…" The boy's sentence trailed off into a whisper as the Zelda stood and her shoulders visibly started shaking and heat rolled off of her in waves. The Triforce on her hand glowed menacingly. The boy began backing away with a look of terror in his eyes.

"MORE IMPORTANT!? I AM DISCUSSING THE FATE OF OUR WORLD, AND YOU'RE SAYING A STATE DINNER IS _MORE IMPORTANT?!_"

The ground trembled and several vases crashed to the floor. With a whimper, the boy ran off down the hallway with a hasty "I'll relay your message" thrown over his shoulder.

I raised an eyebrow. Rare is the day that Zelda loses her temper.

With a visible effort, Zelda reined her emotions back in and turned around. Her gaze was scorching and the Triforce on her hand still glowed threateningly.

"Princess, I believe you scared the boy half to death. It certainly is not his fault your father is being unreasonable." Impa said sardonically.

Zelda merely threw a glare in her direction.

The Sages gathered around the table all wore poorly concealed smirks. As solemn as the situation was, seeing the usually composed Zelda become harried was quite amusing. Excepting Sheik, of course. He looked a tad frightened of Zelda.

After arriving at the Temple of Time, Sheik and I had rushed off to the castle. As soon as we reached said castle, we were ushered into one of the many luxurious bedrooms. The haughty butler informed us we had ten minutes to "make ourselves presentable" before our meeting with the princess. After we hastily washed our hands and faces, (at least _I _washed my face and hands; Sheik had been mysteriously spotless) Zelda herself had come and gotten us. She seemed rather harassed then, too. She told us the Sages were waiting and her father had been ridiculous all day about some "stupid state dinner _thing_."

The meeting had not progressed at all, since as soon as we reached the conference room, a page was waiting with a long-winded message for Zelda from the king that was basically an order to come look over some last minute details for the dinner. Zelda sent an equally long-winded reply in return. She said no. That had launched a whole new series of long-winded messages and replies between Zelda and her father. Eventually, Zelda answers had become more angry and to-the-point.

Zelda re-seated herself and took another deep breath. She raised her head and smiled sweetly.

"Shall we contin—"

Another knock sounded.

Zelda exploded out of her chair and started yelling as the door burst open and a very angry, purple-faced king charged through, also yelling.

"ZELDA, YOU WILL DO AS I SAY!"

"I WILL NOT! CAN YOU NOT SEE I AM TRYING TO CONDUCT A VERY IMPORTAINT MEETING THAT CONCERNS THE FUTURE OF OUR WORLD?!"

"THIS STATE DINNER CONCERNS YOUR FUTURE!"

"I WILL BE THERE IN A MINUTE!"

"YOU WILL COME NOW!"

"I WILL NOT!"

"YOU WILL!"

"YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"

"OH YES I CAN!"

"JUST _TRY _IT!"

All of us sitting around the table followed the angry volleys. I raised both eyebrows. Rare is the day that Zelda loses her temper. Rarer is the day that Zelda has a yelling match with her father.

"Er, Zelda, Your Majesty, perhaps we should sit down and discuss this."

Zelda and her father, now standing inches apart, turned as one towards Rauru and shouted "STAY OUT OF THIS!"

Rauru shrank back and looked helplessly towards Impa. By now, the princess' attendant was the only person at the table who did not look at least a little afraid.

"Alright, that is quite enough you two," she cut in harshly. "Honestly, the way you carry on. You're acting more like barbaric children than the rulers of Hyrule. Your Majesty, Zelda, please calm yourselves and come sit down. I think we can discuss this like _adults._"

The King and Zelda looked properly chastened as they shuffled towards the table.

I looked around and had to suppress another smirk. Everyone had looks of appreciation and awe in their eyes as they looked at Impa.

"Now, tell us, Your Majesty, why this state dinner needs Zelda's immediate attention."

"Well Impa, as I am sure you recall, I spoke with you recently about Prince Valek's upcoming visit. This state dinner will be the first time he is going to meet his fiancée face-to-face. And I want, no NEED, everything to be perfect. So I need Zelda _now_ so we can go over some last minute details. The dinner _is_ tomorrow night, you know."

Everyone around the table wore matching looks of astonishment. Zelda merely scowled and looked down at the table.

Impa sat with her mouth open for a moment before addressing the King.

"You told me Prince Valek was coming. You did NOT say that he is the Princess' fiancé."

"Well, I assumed Zelda would have told you _that,_" the King answered defensively.

"It seems the Princess conveniently left out such an important little detail."

"Er, well you know, Impa, I was going to tell you…eventually…but with all that has happened lately, I did not think it was imperative that I inform you," Zelda ventured quietly.

Impa turned to the Princess. They stared silently into each other's eyes for nearly a minute before Impa nodded and turned back to the King.

"Your Majesty, if you will give us half-an-hour, we will conduct a brief meeting and then Zelda will come and complete whatever preparations you have left."

The King accepted Impa's compromise and turned to Zelda before exiting.

"The throne room, half-an-hour." And with that, the King swept out of the room.

We all faced Zelda, who seemed to find the design in the table fascinating.

I cleared my throat.

"Well, Princess, you couldn't run around wild forever. You were bound to get hitched someday."

I was shocked to see Zelda's eyes fill with tears and her lower lip began to tremble.

"But Link, I do not _want_ to marry him! I have never even _met _the man! I cannot _deal _with this right now! There is a madman on the loose, and I…and I…oh _Link_!"

And suddenly she flung herself into my arms and I found myself with a lapful of one sobbing Princess of Hyrule. I looked around helplessly. Nabooru, Saria, and Impa wore matching smirks. Ruto, to my chagrin, looked jealous. Rauru and Darunia merely looked amused. Sheik seemed torn between worry and amusement.

I awkwardly rubbed circles on her back and spoke soothing words into her ear. My shoulder was quite wet by the time Zelda pulled back. She hiccupped softly and flushed delicately as she looked around the table.

"I am sorry," she took a deep breath; "things have just been a little stressful lately. Er, I'll just sit back down and we can continue with the meeting." She extracted herself from my arms and returned to her chair.

"So we can finally get back to the reason why we are here, Princess?" Rauru asked with kind amusement.

"Oh yes, and I apologize for yelling at you earlier, Rauru."

He held up his hands. "No harm done, Princess."

"Alright, I shall try to be brief. The seal on Ganondorf is weakening. There is no sign of foul play on Ganondorf's side, so that leads me to believe that an outside force is causing the seal to lose power. The temples have been quiet so far. I am pouring as much power as I can back into the seal, but I cannot keep this up indefinitely. Link, I need you to find the person behind this and stop them. Sheik is to aid you in whatever way he can. Ganondorf still has the Triforce of Power in his hands, and if he is released back into the world, I shudder to think what will happen. Please, lend me your power again, Link. I need you to protect this land of Hyrule."

I glanced at Sheik's face. He sat quietly, intently watching my face. Never diverting my gaze, I simply dipped my head in acquiescence.

Zelda nodded sharply. "The Sages will provide you with anything you may need that is within their power to grant. I am sorry to say that I really have no leads at the moment. Investigations into the matter revealed nothing. We don't know who is behind this, obviously, or from whence they are coming. It looks like you and Sheik will have to go into this blindly for the time being. We Sages are searching and researching tirelessly. If we happen upon any important information or discoveries while you are out searching in the field, we will contact you immediately. Now, at this moment, I must go to my father. Link, Sheik, I must speak with you further. If you will please wait in the rooms you were shown, I will come to you in an hour. Until then, feel free to eat and relax. Sages, I will speak with you again shortly."

Zelda bowed her head to us and quickly exited the room.

Darunia stood and broke the silence.

"Well, Brother, it certainly has been a good while! It's been ages since you dropped by the City! What's kept you away?"

I gained my feet and edged nervously away from the advancing Goron.

"Er, you know, just saving the world and stuff, I really meant to drop by in a few days, and then I—OOF!!"

The huge Goron lifted me into a bone-crushing hug.

"I—can't—BREATHE!! Ugh." I held my ribs as the Goron dropped me back to the floor.

"Still soft as a baby. You need to toughen up, Hero," Darunia added laughingly.

I was still bent double trying to force air into my pummeled lungs when I heard a suspicious cough to my right.

Sheik stood there with his eyes alight. I glared and finally straightened.

"Darunia, I think you may have broken a rib."

The Goron's chuckle shook the floor.

"No, I'm serious."

"Oh you're fine Link. Well, I need to be on my way. Little Link is into heroics these days and he's been giving his nursemaid hell. Saria, would you like an escort back?"

"Sure. Just a moment though." To my surprise, she walked over to Sheik.

"Sheikah, watch over Link. He needs to be watched constantly. And, for the goddess' sake, don't let him cook!"

I sputtered indignantly at this. Saria winked cheekily at me and said, "I'll be in touch," before her and Darunia disappeared in a bright flash of red and green light.

"Humph."

"Hey kid, if I were you, I would stop by the desert first. Always a good place to start at the beginning. Or Ganondorf's beginning, anyway. I'll be seeing you." And then Nabooru disappeared with a blinding flash of light.

"My dear," Rauru addressed Ruto, "shall we also be on our way?"

"Yes. Link, Sheik, I will do my utmost to help two such handsome men in _any _way I can. Just let me know if you need _anything_." With a decidedly lecherous wink from Ruto and a kind smile and nod from Rauru, they left, leaving us alone with Impa.

Impa looked us over for a moment before turning to Sheik.

"I need to speak with you privately, Sheik. Link, can I trust you to make your way back to your chamber _without_ causing any trouble?"

"Moi? Cause trouble? Never," I said with affected innocence.

"Mmhmm. Alright then Sheik, let's go."

And with _another_ blinding flash of light (my eyesight must surely be suffering for all the flashing lights) they disappeared, leaving me quite alone. I made my way out the door and started down the ridiculously long hallway.

The desert.

Nabooru was right. It was definitely the best place to start.

SPOV

Impa and I landed softly in a dimly lit room I recognized as her own personal quarters from the last time I had been in the palace. Impa immediately turned to me.

"Well. That meeting certainly was interesting. Tell me, what do you think?"

"Indeed, it was quite interesting. But Impa, I am not too sure what the Princess wants me to do to help the Hero. He made it through well enough the first time around. Zelda only appeared to him a handful of times. I think I should be more of a burden than anything else. He seems to work well alone."

"Yes, he does do well enough on his own. But all those times before, he was only facing one ultimate evil. As the Princess pointed out, we have good reason to believe that there are two ultimate evils that Link will eventually have to face. And that is where you come in. You are a Sheikah; you have been trained in the art of fighting. To be sure, you are a very skilled warrior. Link needs protection, and he will need help in both finding _and_ defeating this darkness. He is light, you are shadow. I think you will complement each other nicely. There is another reason why you are to go with him, but we will get to that. Do you understand thus far?"

I bowed my head and answered, "Yes, Impa."

She nodded. "Alright then. I have several things to give you to aid you in your quest."

Impa turned and rifled through a drawer. I looked around her quarters.

Impa's room screamed "I'm a Sheikah!" Besides the dim interior, everything was done in shades of dark blue and black. The room was spare and simple, except for a large, intricately embroidered Sheikah crest that hung over her bed. Rumor had it that Impa sewed it herself. For some reason, I couldn't reconcile the image of Impa wielding sewing utensils in my mind.

I returned my attention to her as she straightened, holding several objects in her hand.

"Sheik, these weapons are for you. Know that these are not normal weapons."

I gingerly picked one up from her hand. The first was a coiled long black leather whip. The handle was intricately wrought to allow for a better grip.

"Watch Sheik."

Impa took the whip back from me and her brow furrowed in concentration. Dozens of razor-sharp needles erupted along the length of the whip.

"This whip can be used for stunning and such, but it can also be used to rip someone to shreds. Only a Sheikah can cause the needles to appear. Trust me, it will come in handy."

The needles disappeared and she handed it back to me. She held out the other weapon, a sheathed knife.

"This, Sheik, is called the Shadow Sword. Er, as you can see, it is not really a sword, just a close-combat fighting knife. I guess the maker of the weapon thought it sounded better. Anyway, this has been passed down through the generations of Sheikah since our origin. The sword generally was not spoken about, so you might not have heard the legends.

The goddesses designed this sword to be the counterpart of the Master Sword. Shadow, to balance the Light."

She held the knife out by its sheathed blade, indicating that I should draw it. I tentatively reached out and grasped the hilt. A shock raced from my fingertips up my arm, leaving a comfortably warm sensation in its wake. The knife slid effortlessly out. I heard Impa exhale loudly, but I ignored her for the moment as I looked at the beautiful weapon.

The blade of the knife, roughly twelve inches in length, was black with inlays of silver that swirled and twisted in an intricate pattern from the tip up to the hilt. Right beneath the hilt, the Sheikah crest was inset with rubies. I gripped the knife. The hilt seemed to conform to my hand. I sighed and looked up at Impa.

I was alarmed to see that the stoic warrior had tears in her eyes.

"Impa, what on earth is the matter?"

"The Blade of Shadow is legendary, Sheik. A person can't just waltz in and start using it. The blade chooses its wielder, just as the Master Sword chooses _its_ wielder. Sheik, it has selected you. You are the Chosen of the Sheikah. _That _is why you are aiding Link."

I stood stunned for a moment. Me? A Chosen Warrior?

"Ah, why can't fate leave me the fuck alone?"

Impa good-naturedly cuffed me on the back of the head.

"Watch your language. Only you would complain, Sheik. This is a huge honor, and an even bigger responsibility. I must say, I'm quite proud of you. You are now equipped to fight alongside the Hero of Time. Now get. Zelda should be about done with her father. Oh, that's another thing. This Prince Valek. I believe the Princess will be requesting you and Link to stay for a few days, at least until the state dinner is out of the way. She is very wary of this new Prince, and she will need some, ah, _moral support_."

"Humph."

Impa grinned at me and pushed me toward the door. "I'll see you at dinner."

I trudged down the hallway.

The Chosen of the Sheikah?

Goddesses.

I cringed. I could feel the _comforting_ weight of the sword…er, knife…as it rested, hidden, on my left hip. Despite my ambidexterity, I decided to use the knife with my right hand.

Despite the obvious appeal of spending lots of alone time with Link, I could have lived the rest of my pathetic, lonely life without having to go off with the Hero of Time and do some stupid heroic acts and save the world. My little home in the desert was beginning to look very appealing.

My pace quickened as I continued down another hallway. The castle was a maze to navigate. Thankfully, I knew it exceptionally well, having spent plenty of dark nights there.

I rounded the corner and ran smack into Link, which I can only describe as running into a brick wall.

He reached out and steadied me before I could topple over backwards. "Whoa there, Sheik. Better look where you're going." He grinned at me. "Are you sure you're a Sheikah? All the evidence I've gathered so far isn't very convincing." He started ticking things off his fingers. "You bust through windows, slam into trees, and don't look where you're going. If you ask me, that's very un-Sheikah-like behavior."

I barely heard his little rant. Link had not removed his hands from my upper arms. My face flushed and I hastily stepped backwards.

"Well, I was a little pre-occupied," I said, not looking into his face. "The Princess is probably through by now. We should not keep her waiting."

I risked a glance at his face. Link was looking down at me with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Are you alright, Sheik?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Come on." I took off down the hallway without looking back.

Link ran to catch up to me.

"So apparently, out of this whole castle, they don't have enough rooms for the both of us. So we get to be roomies!"

Unseen by Link, the corners of my mouth turned up slightly.

"Well Link, seeing as how we'll be spending every moment together for the next goddesses-know-how-long, we best get used to it."

Link's ready retort died on his lips as we rounded the last bend.

"Goddesses! There you two are! I've been waiting for ten minutes at least!"

_Uh-oh_, I thought. The Princess was still clearly in a bad mood. I hastily bowed my head.

"I am very sorry to have kept you waiting, my Princess. I—"

"Oh shove it, Zelda; I left the room only two minutes ago," Link said airily, waving his hand around. "There is no way you could have been here for _ten minutes at least_," Link mocked in a high-pitched voice.

I drew in a surprised breath. I could not believe Link had just addressed the Princess like that!

To my further surprise, Zelda released the breath she had been building up to yell some more and chuckled quietly.

"I am sorry you two. I'm still a little stressed. Come on, I _really _need to talk to you both."

Link and I exchanged a look before following the ruffled Princess into our room.

**Author note**: For Sheik's new weapons, (where does he put all of them?!) I combined his weapons in Super Smash Brothers Brawl with a little modification. I didn't like the chain; it didn't seem Sheikah-y enough, so I made it a whip instead. And he's got enough throwing things already, so I put the needles inside the whip.

The Shadow Sword I came up with on my own.

Next chapter: Zelda's talk and the state dinner!

Reviews are _always_ appreciated!


	4. Food, Fights, and Fittings

Chapter 4 Food, Fights, and Fittings

Author Note: Okay, so we haven't quite gotten to the state dinner yet, but we're close! Next chapter, most definitely. Enjoy!

LPOV

As soon as Sheik and I seated ourselves shoulder-to-shoulder on the large four poster bed, Zelda began pacing up and down the length of the room. She made six circuits before halting in front of us.

"First of all, Sheik, I am so happy to see you again. You really must come to the castle more. Link's always away and you are the only other person with whom I can actually have a decent conversation. And I have something for you, for the dinner, but we shall get to that later.

Link, I apologize for not telling you of my engagement. I have known for almost a month now, but I could never bring myself to tell you.

I need both of you to stay here for a few days. The state dinner takes place tomorrow night. The day after, my father has planned a "public outing" to show the Prince around. Nothing is planned for the day following the outing, so I think you two can rest and do some research before setting out."

"Zelda," I asked, "who is this Prince Valek? Where does he come from, and why was he chosen to be your betrothed?"

Zelda sighed. "Prince Valek is actually a duke. His step-father is my father's second cousin-by-marriage. Without any other male heirs around, he technically is a prince, and if the kingdom of Hyrule required a male heir to take the throne, he would be king. So, my father thought it would be best to eliminate any chance of internal dissension by betrothing him to me. That way, we both end up rulers. No one has to end up poisoned or something. Anyway, not once in my life have I seen him, not even when we were young."

Sheik spoke up.

"Princess, do you know who Prince Valek's real father was?"

"As far as I can tell, Valek is the illegitimate child of the Duchess Tamara. No one seems to know who his real father was. The Duchess married the Duke Neyak only a month or so after Valek's birth and he raised Valek as his own."

"You know, Zelda, Valek might turn out to be a really great guy. You're kind of assuming the worst about him, and you've never even met him," I ventured.

"Or he could turn out to be a pompous idiot. Or evil," Sheik countered.

I threw him a disparaging look.

"I just do not feel ready to marry yet. I had the mentality that if I did not think about the situation, then it would go away. Obviously, it has not. And the whole situation with Ganondorf has only added to my mental distress. Your presence here greatly settles my mind. Now, once you leave the palace, where do you plan on heading first?"

Sheik answered. "Nabooru suggested we start in the desert. She thought it might be best to start at Ganondorf's beginning."

Zelda nodded her head sagely. "The person trying to free Ganondorf must have known who he was back in that other time. And I would wager that they knew him before he became the King of Evil. Perhaps you can find some information on Ganondorf from when he was young. Who he lived with, associated with, et cetera."

A very pertinent thought struck me.

"Zelda, how much do the Gerudos know of Ganondorf? What do they think happened to him? I mean, we sealed him away, but surely they remember him, back before he became the King of Evil, when he was only the King of the Gerudos."

"Have you never spoken to the Gerudos, Link?"

"Er, well, I try to avoid that place, as a rule, you know. I speak with Nabooru on a regular basis, but the rest of the fortress still doesn't understand why I'm allowed there. And they do NOT like me."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "The women in the fortress believe that he died of natural causes. I guess you could say Nabooru is Queen of the Gerudos. She leads them, since there is no man to do the job."

"How do the Gerudos view Ganondorf? Do they think of him as evil, or what?" Sheik asked.

"After the proper mourning time, Nabooru told her people a few things about Ganondorf; about the atrocities he had planned on committing. Nothing too vital, mind you, just some of the early things he did, like razing villages and killing innocent youths. The Gerudos accepted her story and view Ganondorf as a King who died at a convenient time."

"Whew. Well at least we don't have to go around questioning people about someone who never existed. Things could have gotten complicated."

Zelda ignored me and continued. "I want you both to be very, very careful. The person behind this is very powerful and very evil. I have been working on some protection spells. They should be ready before you leave the castle."

Extra protection never hurt. At least Zelda was actively helping me this time, instead of running around dressed as a boy, throwing cryptic remarks and deku nuts at me. I decided to keep that thought to myself.

Sheik had more questions. "Thank you, Princess. When is Prince Valek due to arrive, exactly?"

"He will arrive and be introduced to everyone at the start of the dinner. It will be a very formal affair."

I groaned. I hated state dinners. I hated dressing up even more.

"But Zelda, I don't _want_ to get all dressed up! And I don't even _have_ anything to dress up in!"

Zelda snorted. "Link, you act like I am unprepared. I had formal clothing made for you and Sheik. Which reminds me, Sheik, I'll need you tomorrow morning for a final fitting. I already have Link's measurements…unless you've grown…again. Ugh, Link, I guess you need to come along too. The Triad help us. Link is unbearable during a fitting."

"Well, what do you expect? I have to stand like a fool while people rush around and poke me with pins. _And_ it takes forever."

"If you would just stop growing, then this wouldn't be a problem."

"Of course, Princess, let me just stop an involuntary process. Geez."

Sheik's quiet laugh surprised me. I spun toward him and his eyes were alight.

"You two argue like siblings," he said.

"Link brings out the worst in me."

I chucked a pillow at her. She grinned and stopped it with her powers.

Not fair.

"You'd better leave, Zelda, before this becomes an all-out war."

"I shudder at the thought," she answered. "I'm off for the night. The day has been long and I am ready for bed. You two had best get some sleep. Be in the fitting room at ten. Is there anything else you need?"

"Well, a couple more fluffy pillows would be nice, and maybe some bath salts…oh and some—"

Sheik's hand clamped over my mouth.

"We require nothing at the moment Princess. Good—EEK!"

I grinned as Sheik jerked his hand away and wiped it down the front of his chest.

"Link, don't _do _that!"

Zelda huffed and opened the door. "Good night, you two."

I turned towards Sheik, whose face (or what I could see of it) had now taken on a rosy hue.

"Hey, did you eat dinner?" I asked him.

"No. Did you?"

"No."

We stared at each other for a moment.

"I'm thinking it's time for a little kitchen-raiding activity."

"Normally I would never condone such behavior; however," here Sheik's stomach grumbled for dramatic effect, "I think it would be alright, just this once."

We laughed together and headed for the door. I held the door open and Sheik walked through.

"You know," he said conversationally as we walked down the hall, "I think it is high-time I prove myself to be a true Sheikah with all those qualities you claim I am without. I'll steal the food. In under a minute. And no one will know."

"You're on, Sheikah. Heh, I didn't know you could be this fun." Sheik elbowed me. We stopped in front of the kitchen door and he held up his hand.

"Stay here, and try not to get in trouble while I'm gone."

I gave an exasperated sigh. "Why does everyone presume I'm always getting into trouble?"

"Probably because you are. Now give me the signal."

"Okay…three…two…one…go!"

And then Sheik disappeared. The door had not moved, and he was not hanging from the ceiling.

Hmm. Perhaps he did have some slight skill.

I leaned against the wall opposite the door and let my thoughts wander. _Fifty seconds._

Ugh, another fitting...I hated those things. I personally thought my clothing was just fine. Granted, my outfit was a little rumpled. And torn. And stained. But besides that, it was fine. _Forty seconds_.

I thought back to when Sheik clamped his hand over my mouth. His hand had been gentle and warm on my face. I could not resist teasing him by licking his hand. He was so easy to fluster. _Thirty seconds._

The rest of the evening should prove interesting. I wondered if Sheik would sleep in that blasted outfit with his cowl still on. _Twenty seconds._

I needed to get Epona here before the picnic two days hence. I hated riding the horses in the stable. _Ten seconds._

I wondered if Sheik owned a horse of his own. _Five seconds._

Zelda loved to ride, but I didn't know about Sheik. _Three seconds. _

"What was my time, Hero?"

I did a thoroughly undignified thing: I squeaked and jumped away from the smooth voice that slid into my right ear.

Daaaang. I had not even heard him approach, much less seen him.

Sheik looked at me with a superior expression in his eyes. "Well?"

"Fifty-seven seconds. Did anyone see you?"

He scoffed at me and trekked down the hall with a bag of food slung over his shoulder.

Back in our room, after finishing a simple, yet delicious meal of roasted turkey, fresh bread and cheese, and fruit, I stood up and eyed the Sheikah still sitting by my feet.

"I think I'm going to bathe before we hit the hay."

"Thank the goddesses. You smell terrible." I stood open-mouthed for a second before launching a pillow at him. The pillow hit him square in the face. He sputtered and launched a pillow right back at me.

That started it. I grabbed as many pillows as I could as I rolled across the bed and crouched on the other side. I lobbed a pillow in Sheik's direction. Sheik's taunting voice came from above me.

"You missed me, Hero."

Sheik released a barrage of pillows before jumping down from his perch on the ceiling. He landed on my shoulders and threw his weight forward, pulling us both onto the bed.

Although I was strong, Sheik was very fast, and very flexible. Every time I got a good hold on him, he slithered his way out of my arms.

Somehow, I finally managed to pin him by sitting on his chest.

"Do you yield?" I questioned in a superior tone.

"OOF…Never!"

All of a sudden, Sheik wrapped his legs around my neck and twisted to the side. I was thrown off balance, and released his arms. Sheik grabbed my arms and pinned them behind me. He quickly perched on my back.

"Now who's doing the yielding?"

My answer was muffled by the pillow my face was shoved into.

"What was that, Hero? I couldn't hear you with all that pillow shoved in your mouth."

I managed to raise my head.

"I…yiel…"

"Come on, Hero, just say it."

"I…"

Sheik let out a surprised cry as I rolled over, dislodging his hold on me.

We stood on opposite sides of the bed.

I smirked. "This Hero never yields."

Sheik smiled thoughtfully. "I guess we'll settle this eventually. You best get to that bath. I won't be able to sleep beside you if you continue smelling like you do now."

"Careful there, Sheikah. I wouldn't want a stray pillow to knock you upside the head."

I grinned and backed into the bathroom, keeping the sight of a certain disheveled Sheikah in my mind.

SPOV

As soon as Link closed the door to the bathroom, breaking our eye contact, I collapsed onto the bed.

What on earth had Link done to me? Had I really just stolen food from the kitchen, bet on it to boot, and had a pillow fight and wrestling match with the Hero of Time?

Well, I certainly hadn't had that much fun since…well, ever.

I stood and walked around the room, straightening the bed covers and collecting stray pillows.

Once the room looked half-way presentable again, I prepared myself for bed. I removed all my throwing knives and lined them on the bedside table, within easy reach. Then came Link's bow and hookshot, my harp, and the whip. I pulled the knife out of my boot, and then removed the two that were located on each hip. I lingered over the Shadow Sword. It really was a beautiful piece of weaponry.

I kicked off my boots and started un-wrapping my arm bandages. Those came off with ease, as did the wraps on my head. The chest bandages were a little more difficult. Finally, I managed to extricate myself from them. I slid the white tabard with the Sheikah crest over my head, leaving me in only the skintight underclothes. With only a little trouble, I pulled the skintight shirt over my head. I sighed with contentment. Wearing those clothes all the time did get a little tiring.

I let my hair out of its sloppy ponytail and raked my hands through it. My hair just touched my shoulders. I made a mental note to trim it soon.

I located a pitcher of water in the corner of the room. I rinsed my face and hands, grateful for the cool water against my heated skin. I turned as the bathroom door opened.

I barely stifled a gasp.

Link sucked in a breath.

We stood and stared at each other.

Link was stripped to the waist. His hair was still wet and hung around his face. His torso…oh goddesses above. He was positively the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. My eyes traced their way down from his muscular, broad shoulders, to his chiseled chest and abdominals, and down…

My face flushed and my eyes darted to meet his.

Link stood, enraptured at the sight of my bare face. I raised my hand self-consciously and carded it through my hair. Link's eyes lowered and seemed to travel the same path down my body that my eyes had traveled over his. He blushed and coughed.

"I didn't mean to stare…it's just…well, you actually have a face."

His comment broke the tension and I laughed with relief.

"Of course I do. Er…we really should get to bed. We have a long day ahead of us. And neither of us has gotten a lot of sleep in the last few days."

Link raised an eyebrow in my direction. "And I wonder whose fault that was."

I stuck my nose in the air. "It was only _partly_ my fault."

Link grinned and set down his clothing and pouch by his sword and shield. Link had explained to me earlier that he didn't need his sword in the meeting because he kept an extra sword or two and several shields in his pouch. Their absence allowed him to move more inconspicuously about the castle.

I lowered myself onto the bed and finally allowed weariness to settle over my body. I curled up under the blankets and watched Link as he finished his preparations. He turned and stared intently at my face. I smiled. Seeing my face would take some getting-used-to for him.

Link tucked his chin in embarrassment. "I really don't mean to stare…" he trailed off.

"I understand. It is okay, Link. Now turn off the light. Let's get some sleep."

Link nodded and turned off the light, plunging the room into darkness. I felt the bed give under his weight. He shifted around for a minute before lying still.

"Good night Sheik."

"Good night, Link."

* * *

A frustrated yell followed by a splash of water jerked both Link and I awake. My face flushed as I realized I was wrapped securely in Link's arms, our bodies pressed together and our legs entangled. Link's face mirrored mine. We extracted ourselves and turned to Zelda, who was staring at us with murderous rage.

Miraculously, Zelda's murderous expression melted into a softer look as she studied us.

"If you two were not so damn adorable in the morning, you both would be in serious trouble. It's half-past ten."

My still-sleep-befuddled-mind barely registered this. I had been in Link's arms. For most of the night. If I had been given to squealing, I would have awoken the dead.

Then Zelda's words hit me.

"Oh. _Oh._ I am very sorry Zelda. Link and I were quite exhausted last night."

Link had not contributed anything. I glanced over at him.

And rolled my eyes.

He was asleep again, head lolling against his chest.

Zelda huffed and said, "You better wake him, Sheik, before he starts drooling. Well, there is no time for breakfast now. Both of you need to hastily dress and meet me in the fitting room ASAP." With that, she turned and left the room.

I poked Link. "Hey."

He mumbled and swatted at my hand.

"Hey!" I poked harder.

"What, what?" he asked grouchily.

I grinned. "Get up, you big lout. Zelda needs us in the fitting room pronto. Then we can go raid the kitchen again."

Link rolled over into a sitting position. I stood and pulled on my skintight blue shirt. I figured I'd only have to remove my clothing anyway, so I left the bandages and over-shirt off.

Link pulled on his boots and undershirt. We certainly looked professional this morning.

I pulled my hair into a precarious ponytail before settling the cowl around my face.

Link had started to sink back onto the bed, so I grabbed his forearms and pulled him toward the door.

"Come on Link, you can sleep when we're done."

Link and I made our way down to the end of the hall. We descended several flights of stairs before making our way down another large, ornate hall. I stopped and knocked on a door. Good thing I knew this castle upside down and inside out. All the doors looked exactly the same.

We were ushered into a bright and airy room. Several parts had been partitioned off for privacy. The head seamstress, Irys, rushed forward. Her second-in-command, Zitori, was close at her heels.

"There you are! I cannot believe you made us wait! Link, go with Zitori. She will re-measure you and make sure your clothing for this evening fits properly. Sheik, come with me."

She steered me into the middle section of the room. She directed me to stand on the stool. I stepped onto the stool as told. Before I could make another move, seamstresses rushed at me from all sides and in the blink of an eye, I was stripped down to my skivvies. Irys stretched a measuring tape across my shoulders, down my back, along my arms, on the outsides _and_ insides of my legs, around my hips, around my chest, around my stomach. She constantly moved and talked to herself. Another assistant wrote the measurements down in a book. Finally, she stepped back with a gleam in her eye.

"Perfect. You have not grown. My creation will fit you perfectly."

Across the room, Link yelped and Zitori's high voice could be heard scolding him for his continued growth.

"Will you _ever _stop growing, Link? This is getting ridiculous! Almost six-foot-three, and you might grow some more. I'm going to have to rework the entire back of the surcoat so it will fit across your shoulders. And the pants will have to be let down…" Zitori's voice faded as she presumably started to mutter to herself. I noticed all the seamstresses did it.

"Close your eyes, Sheik. We will get you all dressed, and _then_ you can look."

I obeyed her command. I was pulled and pushed and unceremoniously handled. Eventually, all the hands left my body and Irys' voice announced breathlessly,

"Okay. You can look."

LPOV

I did not hate fittings. I _loathed_ fittings. Zitori thought slapping me upside the head with her measuring tape would somehow help me stop growing. It merely increased my headache.

Zitori had taken the top shirt off and entrusted it to one of the seamstresses with detailed instructions on how to make it fit me without having to make a whole new shirt. I stood on the stool, wearing nothing but the pair of pants Zitori had designed. She knelt by my feet, getting the length of the pants just right.

"It's a good thing I left so much extra material in these pants," she said around the pins in her mouth, "or we'd be in big trouble."

I thought back to the night before. By the goddesses, Sheik was one of the most beautiful creations ever. Without his shirt, I could see clearly what was normally only hinted at beneath blue cloth. Sheik's muscles were well-defined, but not bulky; the muscles of a trained acrobat...and a trained killer. His chest and abdomen were also well-defined. His skin was the same tan as his face. Oh, his face. His well-shaped nose sloped down to perfect dark red lips. His jaw was small and strong, and he had the cutest ears. His left lobe was pierced, just like mine. I had committed his face to memory. I let my thoughts wander to this morning. After Zelda's rude awakening, I had found myself with my arms wrapped around a very warm and very comfortable Sheikah. I suppose it made sense, that we would abandon the edges of the bed and seek each other's warmth. However, I had never had such a long and peaceful night of sleep. Dreams did not plague me and I had not stirred once. In fact, I was looking very much forward to the ni—

"OUCH!" I yelled when the pain from the needle that was jobbed into my foot registered in my brain.

"Oo, I am so sorry Link!"

"Don't be so dramatic Link," Zelda said airily as she swept into the room. "I'm sure you've had worse."

I glared at her.

"What was with you throwing water on us this morning?"

Zelda gave an exasperated sigh. "Maybe because you two would not wake up, even after I yelled and poked and prodded?"

"Humph."

Zelda looked behind me. "Hello Sheik. All done with your fitting?"

"Yes, Princess. Irys had one more thing to add before she brings the clothing by in the evening."

Zelda nodded. "Did you like the design?"

"Yes, Princess," he answered, "it is amazing. Thank you."

Zelda smiled with satisfaction. "Irys and I have been working on that for months."

I glanced moodily at Sheik. "How come you're done so fast?"

Sheik grinned mischievously. "Maybe because, unlike some of us, I have completed my growing."

Zelda chuckled.

I merely harrumphed in response. It was going to be a long day.


	5. A Free Afternoon

Chapter 5 A Free Afternoon

Author Note- Okay, okay, I KNOW we were supposed to get to the banquet, but I must say, the story writes itself. And the story hasn't quite gotten to the banquet. But have no fear! Barring a natural disaster, the banquet will take place next chapter. Besides, this chapter is already nearly 5,000 words long. If I had added the banquet, it would have been over 10,000 words.

I want to say thank you to all my reviewers thus far: Gizomo, Hunter of Darkness, Ryukai-MJ, White Mage Koori, MyraHellsing, That one Reviewer, and Are You Afraid of the Dark. Your reviews definitely make my day!

And now, on to the story!

LPOV

Zitori stood back, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Okay, I think we're done here. You may get down."

"Thank the goddesses," I muttered sarcastically. Zitori threw another measuring tape at me. Zelda shot me a glare, but Sheik cut in before Zelda could reply.

"Princess, do you mind if Link and I get some breakfast from the kitchen? We have not eaten yet, and this fitting has awoken our appetites."

"Of course, Sheik. You two are free to do whatever you want for the rest of the afternoon, but you must be bathed and ready for Zitori and Irys to dress you at six o'clock sharp. Prince Valek arrives at seven, and I want you by my side for the duration of the evening."

"Zelda, do you mind if I go get Epona?" I asked, "I left her at my house and I need her for the picnic tomorrow. You know I don't like riding the horses you have here. No offense."

Zelda gave me a long-suffering look before answering. "Link, I don't care what you do…as long as you get back here by six. And _please_ don't get into any trouble."

I tossed my hands into the air. "I'll have you know that I have not gotten into trouble ONCE since I arrived here. Honestly! You act like I've done nothing EXCEPT get into trouble lately. And besides, Sheik will be with me, so what trouble could I possibly get into?"

"Link, if there is trouble within a fifty-mile radius, it will find you."

"Well that's not exactly my fault, now is it?"

"Please you two," Sheik cut in, playing the peace-maker…again, "if we do not depart right now, then we will not make it back in time. Zelda, I will personally make sure he stays out of harm's way. And we _will_ be back and ready for the seamstresses at six."

"Ah, Sheik, you put my mind at ease. Now off with you both," Zelda shooed us out of the room.

Out in the hallway once again, after pulling on my normal clothing, I turned to Sheik. "Let's stop by the kitchen, get some food, swing by our room, get properly dressed, and THEN we can go."

Sheik nodded his assent and we headed towards the kitchen. "So, what does your evening wear look like?" I queried conversationally.

Sheik glanced at me from the corner of his eye and sighed. "I'm not supposed to tell anyone. It's supposed to be a '_surprise_'."

"It must be pretty cool then," I said, digging for more information. "Zelda had a hand in designing it, too, right?"

"Yes, it is 'pretty cool' and yes, she did help design it. Tonight will not be the last night I wear it. Now stop digging for information. You should probably handle the food situation. The people here are still rather wary around me."

I smirked at him. "Let me show you how I get food in this place."

A few minutes later I strolled back into the hallway baring two saddle bags filled with provisions for the day.

Sheik raised his visible eyebrow at me. "Nice work."

We continued on back to our room. I opened the door and gestured Sheik in first. I followed behind him but stopped short of just running into his back. I glanced around the room to see what had halted the Sheikah, and my eyes landed on Impa casually reclining against a bedpost.

"Well boys, I heard that you are going out for the day. I have something that will make the day, and the rest of the journey, easier." She turned towards Sheik, "Sheik, I acquired a desert-bred horse for you. His bloodlines are excellent and he has had the best training. He will do you well."

"_Thank you_, Impa."

At Sheik's heartfelt thanks, I turned to him. His eyes had brightened and strong emotions played across his face…or what I could see of it anyway.

Impa's lips quirked into a grin. "As you can see, Link, Sheik loves horses. Samar is waiting in the stables. He will transport both of you easily and quickly back to your house. Safe journey."

Impa nodded to both of us and exited the room. I faced Sheik again. His excitement was palpable. He strode over to his belongings and began putting the weapons back in place and re-wrapping the white cloth. I grinned and hastily finished my dressing, too.

Sheik waited impatiently by the door for me, tapping his booted foot against the floor some five minutes later. How he had managed to get no less than twenty items stowed on his person and numerous, complicated wraps in place before I had time to pull on a shirt and three items, was beyond me.

"_Come on_ _Link._ We don't have all day here."

"Calm yourself, Sheik." I grabbed the provisions. "I'm guessing I have to eat on the way?"

"Your assumption is correct. Now let's_ go_!"

I purposefully slowed my stride as I made my way towards him. He sent me a death-glare.

"Alright, alright, coming."

SPOV

Link and I _finally _made it to the stables. When the stable boy saw me, he nodded and indicated we should wait.

One of my earliest memories involved horses. Impa had come to the desert to check on my progress in my studies. She rarely left the princess, but she was my aunt by marriage, and godmother to boot. My parents had been long gone by then, and one of the few remaining tribesmen had taken over my training. Even though I was not yet three, my training as a Sheikah had begun. Impa had ridden up on her white stallion, Reiyassan, and although it was only the second time I had met her, I still ran excitedly to meet her. She had scooped me up and taken me on a whirlwind ride around the camp. I felt as if I was flying. From that point on, my love for horses, and for my godmother, had been unwavering.

I couldn't help but roll up onto the balls of my feet when I heard the staccato clip-clop of a horse's hooves. And then he walked around the corner.

The sight of Samar took my breath away. The stallion stood nearly seventeen hands high and his black coat gleamed almost blue. His full tail brushed the ground. He was solid black except for a white, crescent shaped mark in the center of his forehead. The saddle was blue with white hangings that, of course, bore the Sheikah crest. He, like all desert-bred horses, was bridle-less.

I reverently walked towards him with my hand held out, palm up. He lipped my hand for a moment before snorting into it. I grinned and stroked his muscular, arched neck. He lowered his head and I scratched behind his ears. I sighed and looked back at Link.

"_Damn._"

I snickered.

"That is one fine piece of horseflesh right there. Why, I bet he's _almost_ as fast as Epona."

I snorted indignantly. "Was that a challenge, Hero?"

"It just might be…" he trailed off suggestively.

"Tomorrow, at the picnic, you and I are going to race. And I will win."

"Heh. We'll see. Now let's go. Poor Epona's been left alone for a whole day."

I led Samar out into the courtyard and leapt easily onto his back. He stood quietly while Link mounted behind me. I tried to ignore the fact that Link's chest and hips were pressed against the length of my back, and how his legs matched the line of my own. I felt Samar gather himself. I nudged him with my knees and he moved forward at a walk, his strides long and ground-covering. We exited the market in a matter of minutes. As soon as Samar's hooves touched the grass on the other side of the drawbridge, I closed my knees around him and he took off like an arrow. Link gave a surprised grunt before his hands came to rest lightly on my waist for balance. He yelled into the wind, "Thanks for the warning," but I couldn't reply past the broad smile on my face. We flew across Hyrule field; Samar's hooves barely seemed to touch the ground.

In less time that I would have though humanly (or horse-ly) possible, I reined Samar in; we had reached the entrance in the rocks to Link's house. Samar wasn't even sweating. He walked easily along the narrow trail. We entered the clearing and Link jumped down.

"Epona!" he yelled. I looked around. She was not anywhere that I could see her.

Link look slightly confused. He pulled out his Ocarina, and a sweet, rollicking melody poured forth. It brought to one's mind a warm summer day, a green pasture dotted with cows, and a leisurely horseback ride. When Link completed the song, I low whinny sounded behind us. Link spun and gasped.

Epona stood with her head down. She was covered in what seemed to be whip marks. Dried blood and dirt caked her coat. Link ran forward.

"By the Three…Epona, what happened?!" He murmured soothing words to his horse. I dismounted and came to stand by him. He pulled a red potion from his pouch and addressed me.

"Sheik, do healing potions work on horses?"

"I'm not sure, Link. But we should probably clean her up first, and get all the dirt and blood off her before we attempt anything. We don't want the wounds to close up, only for an infection to set in."

Link nodded. We led her to the stream. Epona did not take kindly to having her wounds touched, so Link stood at her head to calm her while I worked quickly. Most of the wounds were not serious, but a few were deeper and would require some stitching.

"I think it would be best if we were to put the potion into a warm mash. She needs something nutritious at the moment, anyway, to help with the healing. Do you have the items necessary for a mash? And also, I need a needle and some thread…Link, are you okay?" I asked when I noticed his shoulders were shaking.

"When I find who did this to her," he growled in a low voice, "I will fucking _kill _them_._"

I involuntarily took a step back. The rage rolled off of him in waves and heat roared around him. The Triforce on his hand glowed fiercely.

"Link, calm down. Epona needs you right now. I need you to prepare a mash and get me a needle and thread. Or better yet, I'll go get them. You stay with the horses."

Link took a deep breath and nodded his assent. I swiftly pulled out the hookshot. This time, I managed to land on my feet when I reached the landing. My sigh of relief stuck in my throat when I saw the room beyond me.

"Link," I called, "you had best get up here. Now."

Moments later, Link walked into the room. He slammed to a halt and his breath whooshed out, as if he had been punched in the stomach.

The room was in chaos. Books were strewn across the floor with pages ripped from them. The few pieces of furniture were overturned and the cushions slashed, as were the hangings on the windows. Shattered glass covered the floor. Several of Link's masks were crushed as if by a boot, and the rest were thrown haphazardly around the room. All of Link's keepsakes had been thrown off the shelves, and many of those were also broken.

"Fucking hell," Link growled. "I wonder if they found what they were looking for," he muttered darkly.

I looked around helplessly. "Link, I think you should look through your belongings and see if you can identify anything that has gone missing. I will see to Epona."

Link nodded absently as he treaded forward.

I located a bag of wheat bran, which had been slashed, its contents littering the kitchen area, and I scooped several handfuls into a bowl. I pumped some water into the bowl and looked around for a moment, quite at a loss. All the firewood was gone. Link's hand appeared over my shoulder and he plucked the bowl from my hands.

"I'll warm it for you," he murmured. He concentrated for a moment, and a small ball of flames erupted in his other hand. He silently held the bowl over it for a minute or two before handing it back to me. I gave him my thanks, and he went back to searching.

I mixed the bran well before pulling out the bottle of red potion. With a muttered prayer for help to the goddesses, I poured the contents into the bowl and mixed it in. I held the bowl carefully as I made my way back down to the ground. The corners of my mouth tugged upwards when I spied Samar standing guard over Epona. I walked over and brought the bran slowly to her mouth. With an exhalation of breath, she began to eat. I stood there holding the bowl for her until the last of the mash disappeared. I watched anxiously for a few moments, and then sighed with relief. The wounds began healing, even the deep ones. Perhaps she would not require stitches after all. The shallow wounds healed completely, and the skin was unblemished. However, the skin around the deeper wounds, though healed, was still an angry red color, and the skin was puckered slightly where it had closed. I stepped back and examined her. The lash marks were still very visible since the hair had not grown back. At least she wasn't covered in blood and dirt anymore.

Leaving Epona with Samar, I used the hookshot to pull myself up to the landing once again.

Link turned to me as I stepped through the doorframe—the door had been blasted off its hinges—and his lips quirked into a cynical smirk.

"I guess they _didn't_ find what they were looking for. As far as I can tell, nothing has been taken. I wonder if they were looking for something I carry on me…" his sentence trailed off as he looked thoughtfully at his pouch.

"Was anything important damaged?"

"Ah…no, I guess not. Many of my valued possessions have been destroyed, but none of these are vitally important. And the masks that they crushed, thank the goddesses, have no specific powers and are for decoration only."

A sharp whinny from below sent Link and I hurtling out onto the landing. A pair of Dinalfos were closing in on Samar and Epona. Without thought, I withdrew a throwing knife and buried it in the head of one as an arrow from my right buried itself in the head of the other. The two enemies staggered backwards from the horses, giving us time to make our way to the ground.

Link withdrew his sword and went for the one closest to Epona. I made a split-second decision to try out the Shadow Sword. I lunged for the other enemy and flipped over its head. I wrested its head back, exposing its neck, and deftly slit its throat with my knife. The Dinalfos sent out a garbled yell and crumpled to the ground. Hmm…it was quite effective. I turned in time to see Link withdraw his sword from the chest of the fallen creature. I retrieved my throwing knife and cleaned both weapons before sliding them back into place. Link swore as he looked at the giant lizard things.

"I haven't encountered any enemies like this in Hyrule since Ganondorf's time. This definitely does not bode well."

"No indeed," I answered, "Especially since someone had to have sent these minions out here." I glanced at the sun in the sky…only to discover it was now perilously close to the horizon.

"Oh shit."

"Sheik, did you just _curse_?" Link asked incredulously.

"Link, it has to be dangerously close to six."

"Well then, oh shit indeed. I guess we can come by here in a few days when we head to the desert. I need to put the rest of my stuff in a safe place. Let's not mention this to Zelda just yet. We'll wait until after the banquet."

He turned to Epona, who looked much better and more upbeat by now. "Are you able to get me back to the castle, dearheart?" Epona tossed her head and rolled her eyes at him. Link chuckled and quickly saddled her. I re-mounted Samar and waited for him. Once Link was mounted we made our way swiftly out of the rocks into the field beyond. The horses broke into a companionable gallop and headed back to the castle.

As the castle gate came into view, we spied a sumptuous carriage making its way quickly towards the entrance. We urged the horses on and pulled into the market just ahead of the carriage. Dodging the few townsfolk who still lingered about, we raced to the stable. The horses weren't even completely stopped when Link and I vaulted off their backs and took off towards the back door. We sprinted the entire way up to our rooms and skidded to a stop just inside the door. Impa leaned once again against the bedpost. When she saw us, she merely raised an eyebrow at our thoroughly disheveled state.

"You have two minutes before the seamstresses arrive. I suggest you use it wisely."

She gave us a look of amused disgust as Link high-fived me. "We are good."

I gave him an answering grin before Impa's glower sent us into action. I removed my wraps, weapons, boots, head-covering, and skin-tight outfit in a minute and a half. I went into the bathing room in only my shorts and dunked my upper body into the sunken pool of water. I ran soap along my arms, chest and head. When I straightened up, a towel hit me in the face.

"Dry off, Sheik. You have ten seconds," came Impa's voice.

When Irys and Zitori walked into the room at precisely six o'clock, Link and I stood side-by-side in our skivvies, our skin glowing after the brisk rubdown with the towel. I was glad Link had managed to get cleaned up in the allotted time. I really didn't want to have to deal with the seamstress' wrath. What I was _not_ happy about was the fact that I hadn't had time to appreciate Link in only his shorts. Ah well.

Irys swept towards us and issued orders to the small army of apprentices behind her. Link was dragged/carried into the dressing chamber. He sent a helpless look in my direction as I was borne in a similar manner into the bathing room.

"Well, well, Sheikah, the night has finally come for you to exhibit my masterpiece. You do it justice," Irys said. "Let's get you dressed."

LPOV

I stood as still as possible as Zitori dressed me. I felt like I was perfectly capable of dressing myself, but I had learned the hard way not to contradict a seamstress.

The outfit, however, was very well done. The black pants Zitori had fussed over so much were made from a foreign material I did not recognize. They were soft and close fitting, but allowed maximum movement. The pants were tucked into shiny, black, knee-high riding boots (which made me wish to ask _why_ it had been necessary to let down the pants, if no one was going to see the bottom of them, but I decided it best to keep my mouth shut). My undershirt was black and of the same material, and it too was close fitting. Zitori settled a fine tunic of chain mail over my shoulders and on my chest. Then one of the apprentices brought in my over-shirt…or whatever seamstresses call them. The shirt was a dark hunter green, and its close fitting sleeves came to my wrists. The sleeves were embroidered in a gold criss-cross pattern up to my shoulder. The shirt's collar was gold and straight; it came to just under my chin. A strip of gold embroidery ran down the middle of the shirt, and small green emeralds had been sewn into the strip at periodic intervals. The shirt hung down to the top of my thighs. A fine gold belt baring the royal crest of Hyrule completed the ensemble.

"Well Zitori, I must say, you have outdone yourself this time. It is truly wonderful. Thank you." She bowed her head at my words. She and the other seamstresses helped me down and I walked back into the main room. Sheik was not yet there, so I started to buckle my sword and sheath on my back when Zitori stopped me.

"I almost forgot, Link! I have a sheath that will look much nicer and will match your outfit."

Another of the apprentices brought forth a scabbard that closely resembled the one I had worn when I held the Master Sword, only this one was a hunter green instead of a royal blue. The pattern of gold inlay was the same, however, and it brought a wave of nostalgia.

I buckled the sheath and slid my Gilded Sword into it. A perfect fit.

"Thank you, once again, Zitori. You are amazing." She fairly glowed at the praise as she and the other seamstresses stepped back to await Irys and the others. I tucked a few small Deku nuts into my pocket—there was no telling what would happen tonight. Unfortunately, none of my other weapons were small enough to carry without being awkwardly visible, so I settled for the ones I had. I turned as the door creaked open.

All thoughts flew out of my head at the sight of Sheik walking through the door. He stopped just inside to fuss with his sleeve, giving me ample time to gawk unabashedly at the sight he presented.

Gone was the ratty bandages and blue suit. The new outfit fit him just as tightly as before, but this one seemed to enhance everything. It was midnight black and looked as soft as silk, and yet still had the appearance of shadowy armor rather than evening wear. The sleeves went to his wrists. In place of the white bandages, ropes of white silk encased his forearms. Supple white gauntlets continued from underneath the white silk and encased his hands up the middle of his fingers. At closer inspection, his shoulders and chest were covered with a thicker black material. The Sheikah crest had been painstakingly embroidered onto the white silk swath that covered the front of his chest. Small rubies were sewn onto the top point of each triangle. The swath was held in place by more ropes of white silk that circled his back. The inside of his thighs were also covered in the thicker black material. The thick material completely encased his lower legs, covering his small black boots. His head was bare, and his hair was pulled back into a ponytail that seemed to be in a constant state of precariousness.

"_Fuck me_."

Sheik's head snapped up. "What was that, Link?"

My face instantly flushed a deep crimson. _That_ wasn't supposed to come out.

"Er, nothing. You look exquisite, Sheik." A flush crept up his neck and settled into his cheeks at my compliment.

"You are looking quite handsome yourself," he returned.

As I finally drug my gaze away from the ravishing Sheikah, I happened to glance over at the still-assembled seamstresses.

And instantly had to suppress a groan.

Some of them seemed to be attempting to stifle giggles. Others had a star-struck, glazed look on their face as they glanced between Sheik and me. Zitori and Irys exchanged knowing looks as they ushered the swooning girls out into the hallway. I turned back to find Sheik intently studying me.

I raised an eyebrow and he flushed once again.

"Er, shall we go find Zelda, Link?"

"Yes. Are you carrying any weapons on you?"

"Of course. Since Zelda helped design this, she gave it properties of my old suit, namely, the ability to carry a ridiculous amount of weaponry without detection or hindrance." He gestured to the black and silver sheath strapped sideways on his lower back. "But this, I carry in the traditional Sheikah style. Come, let us find Zelda, and I will tell you the story of this knife."

As we made our way to Zelda's chambers, Sheik told me about how the Shadow Sword was the counterpart to the Master Sword, and how it chooses its wielder.

"So, it looks like we're both Chosen Ones," I joked.

Sheik grimaced.

We arrived moments later outside of Zelda's door. Sheik knocked politely. The door was thrown open and we were hauled inside.

"I need help!" came Zelda's distressed cry. She stood in her underclothes and was surrounded by a heap of dresses. Her hair had already been fixed elegantly atop her head, but seemed in danger of toppling if she rushed around much longer.

"Zelda, why didn't you have your clothes prepared in advance?" I asked incredulously. I would have thought the seamstresses would have been working on this for months.

"I did! But then, through a series of unfortunate and entirely too coincidental events, the dress was dropped out a window, landed in a pile of horse dung, run over by a cart, ripped up by dogs, and then it was rained on, just for good measure."

I tried my hardest, I really did, but the laughter brimmed over.

Zelda looked torn between laughing and breaking down and sobbing. Sheik threw a well-aimed shoe at my head. At my stunned expression, Zelda gave a small chuckle.

I rubbed my head and glared at the innocent-looking Sheikah. He grinned and turned to Zelda.

"Well Princess, I highly doubt Link and I will be of much service, but we shall do our best."

Several minutes later, Sheik emerged victoriously from Zelda's truly gigantic closet. He held up an ice-blue, floor-length gown. The form-fitting bodice gathered at the waist, and the full skirt fell to the floor. The skirt was split in the middle and pulled back to show the shimmering silver petticoat. The bodice had intricate lines of beading under the bosom and at the V of the waist. The sleeves were off-the-shoulder and swept to the floor. Delicate white flowers were embroidered around the hem of the skirt. He held a pair of silver shoes in the other. I had to admit, I was impressed.

"Oh it's perfect Sheik! Bravo!" Zelda called for her maid and swept into her dressing chamber. She emerged a few minutes later, dressed and ready. Impa's amused voice drifted from the doorway.

"It's a good thing Prince Valek was not here to witness this, Princess, or he would have fought these two young men for your honor. Need I remind you that young men are _not _permitted in a young lady's bedchamber, especially when said young lady is in her underclothes?"

Zelda had the grace to blush, but raised her chin defiantly, "I do not care what Valek thinks of me. These two are the closest I've ever gotten to having siblings. Now, we mustn't keep the Prince waiting."

And with Zelda in the lead, we exited the room.

Author Note 2- So you see, unless a natural disaster occurs while they are walking to the ballroom (which it won't), the banquet will be next chapter. I hope you enjoyed the description of their formal wear. It's rather difficult to describe a picture in your head. Reviews are always appreciated!


	6. A Stately Affair

Chapter 6 A Stately Affair

Author Note: Finally, the banquet! Thank you soo much to my reviewers: MyraHellsing, Hunter of Darkness, White Mage Koorii, Ryukai-MJ, and Are You Afraid of the Dark!

SPOV

A retinue of guards joined our small group as we walked to the ballroom. Impa detached herself from the shadows and took her place at the Princess' right hand side. Link and I stood slightly behind the Princess, to her left and right.

Princess Zelda looked perfectly regal. Her dainty jaw was set in a line of determination, and her manner exuded confidence and poise. She walked in silence, and Impa periodically peeked down at her to see how she was holding up. Impa was the only one of our group who had not donned evening wear—she wore her customary garb.

Speaking of evening wear…My eyes slid of their own accord over to the Hero walking beside me. He looked absolutely stunning. And he seemed to appreciate my own outfit, as well.

Zelda drew to a halt in front of the ornate ballroom doors. Valek would be introduced, there would be some dancing, and then a select group of people would gather in the banquet hall for dinner and discussions. At least, that is what Impa had hastily relayed to Link and I when we were preparing for the seamstresses.

The two butlers flanking the doorway bowed to Zelda and opened the doors. Brilliant light from the crystal chandeliers lit the vast room. The black-and-white marble floors gleamed. Elaborate banners representing the various tribes of Hyrule were strung between the columns that lined both sides of the room. I spotted the Kokiri banner, as well as the Goron, Zora, and Gerudo banners. My eyes widened as I spied a Sheikah banner hanging proudly alongside the rest of them. At the end of the hall, the Hyrule crest hung above the thrones. Statues of the three goddesses adorned the Triforce.

A herald announced the Princess' entrance. She started her walk down the rich blue carpet to the thrones, nodding to the bowing guests. The guards went to their assigned positions around the room. Link, Impa, and I followed the Princess to her throne. As she took her seat next to her father, Impa stood once more to her right, and Link and I stood slightly behind each side of her throne.

The Sages assembled in a line on both sides of the blue carpet at the foot of the stairs. We certainly were an intimidating bunch. Everyone knew of the Sages, and they knew of the power they possessed.

A large group of nobles had already assembled in the ballroom. Several more were announced, and they came forward to pay homage to their rulers.

I turned my head slightly towards Link. His expression was carefully constructed. To an outside observer, he appeared bored. His eyes had a slightly glazed expression and his stance was lackadaisical. But I knew he was as carefully attuned to his surroundings as I was. We both straightened up when a trumpet sounded at the door. Everyone gathered turned expectantly towards the entrance.

"Announcing Prince Valek Garderim, honored guest of King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule and the Princess Zelda."

Several guards entered, and then he walked through.

Prince Valek's appearance was impressive, to say the least. He stood at least as tall as Link, maybe even slightly taller. His rich ebony hair fell in soft waves to his shoulders. His face was tan and classically handsome, with expressive brows over shockingly green eyes. His broad shoulders and muscular chest hinted at a warrior's physique. He was dressed in black breeches, boots, and a black doublet embroidered with silver thread. He strode up to the dais and bowed low at the waist to the Princess before addressing her in a smooth, low voice,

"Princess Zelda, it is an honor to finally meet you," he turned to the King and bowed again, "Your Majesty, accept my sincere thanks in having me here this evening. Your castle is most beautiful," he then turned and bowed formally to all the gathered Sages, including Impa, "It is my pleasure to be in your presence, Wise Ones." He straightened. His eyes flickered over Link and I before landing once again on Zelda. She rose from her seat.

"Prince Valek, welcome to Hyrule Castle. You are most welcome here," she said in a breathless voice. I glanced sharply at her. Her cheeks had taken on a becoming rosy color and her eyes were bright. She appeared to like the man before her. Link's poorly concealed, fierce scowl arrested my attention. _He _didn't seem to like the man in front of her.

The King stood and addressed the crowd, giving a short speech about union and alliances, honor, et cetera, et cetera. I didn't hear the majority of it. My eyes studied the man, trying to detect any hidden weaponry. Although his face was open and friendly, I didn't trust him. Well, to be fair, I didn't really trust anyone on first meeting them, but still. The speech ended and the musicians struck up a stately tune. Valek claimed Zelda's hand and they took their place at the head of the line. The opening dance was formal and restrained, a precursor to the more lively line dances and the waltzes.

I edged closer to Link and addressed him quietly. "What do you think of Valek?"

Link sniffed disdainfully. "I think he's overconfident. Did you see how he dismissed us like that?"

Ah, a case of wounded pride, was it? "Link, you do realize that he does not know that you single-handedly defeated the most powerful evil king of our time? As far as he knows, you're just an above-average guard who gets to stand next to the Princess. As for myself, I am a Sheikah. We are viewed by the majority of the population as tools at the Royal Family's disposal. So don't let it get to you."

"Well, did you see Zelda's reaction? She was suckered in by a pretty face."

"Jealous, Hero?" I asked warily.

Link scoffed. "Of course not. I don't even like women." Blood diffused his face as he clapped a hand over his mouth and eyed me nervously. I clamped down on the swiftly rising joy and merely raised an eyebrow. I decided to turn the tables and fluster _him _for once.

"Well then, that makes two of us."

LPOV

Sheik's admission set my pulse racing and heat coursing through my body. He looked me straight in the eye, but I could detect a faint blush in his cheeks. When had it gotten so hot in the ballroom? I fanned my face and swept my eyes over the dancers, easily spotting Valek and Zelda.

Blast the man. Something about him thoroughly bothered me. Perhaps it was his height. I was not used to looking up at someone, even by half an inch. And Zelda just waltzed off with the man without a backward glance. Gone was the trepidation and caution.

Impa strolled over to us. "What do you think of him, boys?"

Sheik answered before I could. "Link thoroughly dislikes him. I have not seen enough as of yet to countenance a favorable or not-so-favorable opinion."

Impa nodded her head. "Yes, I cannot say that I like him, but his behavior so far has been exemplary. He is all politeness."

At that moment, Zelda rushed up the dais and grasped Sheik's hands. "Sheik, I must claim the next dance! Come, I will not have you standing about in such a manner!" She pulled the surprised Sheikah onto the ballroom floor. I watched, enchanted, as Sheik moved with all the grace of his heritage through the dance. His grace was unearthly. A delicately cleared throat made me yank my gaze away. I stifled a groan as my eyes landed on Ruto, batting her eyes and clearly expecting a dance. I resigned myself to the task.

"Princess Ruto, would you do me the honor of favoring me with a dance?"

"Why, Link, I would _love _to dance!" I threw the highly amused Impa a helpless glance as Ruto pulled me onto the dance floor. The musicians struck up a new song and Ruto and I took our places in the line next to Zelda and Sheik.

The music started and we began to move through the prescribed steps of the dance. I made small talk with Ruto while stealing covert glances at the Sheikah dancing only a few feet away. Ruto's answers fell on deaf ears. Only a nod and an occasional "mmhmm" were all that was required to keep Ruto talking. The dance brought me around so that I faced Sheik. As he circled behind me, his whispered, "Enjoying the dance?" sent shivers down my spine. My reply was forestalled when the dance required I take Zelda's hand opposite. I turned and smirked at the sight of Ruto ogling the handsome Sheikah. Zelda smiled at the scene and whispered, "I know who her next partner will be. Will you dance the first waltz with me, Link?"

"Of course Zelda," I answered. The dance ended. I bowed to Ruto opposite me and she curtsied in return. I escorted Ruto to the table of refreshments while Sheik did the same with Zelda. We stood chatting for a few moments, catching our breath before the waltzes started.

"Princess Zelda, may I claim your hand for the first waltz?" A smooth voice slid into our conversation. Zelda's cheeks reddened as she turned to Prince Valek. Her eyes turned beseechingly towards mine and I gave a do-what-you-want shrug. She smiled brightly before turning back to Valek and replying that, yes, she would love to be his partner for the first waltz.

"Valek, allow me to introduce you to Link, of Hyrule, and Sheik, of the Sheikah, two very close friends of mine, and my favorite bodyguards."

Sheik and I bowed our heads in salute. Valek swept us with a cool glance before inclining his head in return. He whisked Zelda off, and Ruto whisked Sheik off, to the dance floor, leaving me alone at the refreshment table.

I made my way back towards the dais. Nabooru stood alone at the stairs, the other Sages mingling about the room.

"I would ask you to dance, but I know you would hurt me for asking such a question," I joked.

"Heh, smart kid. So have you decided whether you'll come to the desert first?"

"Yes, I discussed it with Sheik and Zelda, and we decided that it would be best that we go there first. Tell me, Nabooru, what do you know of Ganondorf's beginning? Where was he raised?"

"Ganondorf was brought up far on the other side of the Haunted Wasteland, past the Desert Colossus even. It is considered to be a sacred place, since it is the birthplace of the Gerudo King; therefore, I have never been to the place myself. Ganondorf's childhood is shrouded in secrecy like all Gerudo males. I'm sure, however, that some of my people must know something about his beginning. There is an old woman, a story-weaver, who should be of some assistance to you. She might appear addled with age, but her memory is as sharp as ever."

"Do I have to talk to the women in the fortress?" I whined.

Nabooru snorted contemptuously. "They will behave themselves, I promise. The women don't dislike you," I snorted in disbelief, "they're just rough on you _because_ they like you."

"So the first time I went back to the fortress , when they locked me in the dudgeon, starved me for days, used me for target practice, then tried to have their wicked way with me, was all evidence of their _regard_ for me?" I inquired, laying the sarcasm on thickly.

"At least I got back in time to prevent them from stealing your virtue. You should be grateful." I threw my hands in the air while Nabooru chuckled beside me.

Sheik, having finally escaped Ruto, joined us at the foot of the dais.

"Have fun?" I asked cheekily.

Sheik stuck his tongue out at me. I returned the favor.

"Oh, very mature you two. I'm going to go get something to drink. Something strong, preferably. Keep an eye on things," Nabooru said as she sauntered away.

Sheik was watching the swirling couples intently as I turned back to him. I studied his handsome profile. After seeing his face, I never wanted him to cover it again. I wondered how he would react if I burned his cowl.

He shifted his weight, drawing my eyes down the rest of his frame. Oh, that black material hugged his body like an extra skin. What I wouldn't give to ease it off of him and run my hands down, down…

"Hey Link, if you take a picture, it will last longer," Zelda said slyly over my shoulder. My face flushed (again) and I turned to her with a fierce frown. She smiled unrepentantly. I chanced a look at Sheik, only to find him looking at Zelda with the same frown I wore.

"Don't give me that look, Sheik! I saw you gazing at Link earlier, too!" Crimson seeped into Sheik's cheeks. "You've got half the young ladies here in a swoon! Speaking of the young ladies, you two are treating them abominably ill, denying them a chance to dance with you. Now, get back out there!"

Zelda laughed at the two of us as she dragged us onto the ballroom floor. She kept us quite busy dancing with various young ladies of the realm.

Between making it seem like I was paying attention to my partners, looking over Zelda, keeping a wary eye on Valek, and trying not to botch the dance too much, I hardly had time to watch for Sheik. I caught glimpses of him; a precarious ponytail, a Sheikah-emblazoned tabard, and, once or twice, his piercing ruby eyes met my own.

During one of my few breaks, I engaged Saria in conversation. The Kokiri girl wore a lovely pale green gown, and her hair had been swept back away from her face. She stood a whole two feet shorter than I, so she had to crane her head up to converse with me.

"Saria, we haven't been able to speak in a while."

She smiled kindly. "I know you've been busy lately."

"How are things back in the forest? Is the Great Mido behaving himself?"

"Oh, he's as insufferable as ever," she replied, rolling her eyes fondly. "But that's Mido for you. He still complains about you leaving the forest, and is even more incensed by the fact that the Great Deku Tree will not divulge any information."

"He always did have a one-sided rivalry with me. It is your fault, you know. He's had a crush on you for as long as I can remember, and he didn't take to kindly to us being best friends. And then there was the whole Sage ordeal."

Saria chuckled at the memory. "Oh yes, I remember that only too well. He was flabbergasted when I revealed to everyone that I was the Forest Sage. He wouldn't speak to me for weeks. I think he always secretly hoped that _he _was the Forest Sage."

I shuddered dramatically. "The Goddesses forbid!" We laughed companionably and chatted for a few more minutes before Zelda hunted me down and ordered me back on the dance floor.

Several songs later, the conductor struck up a lively, all-too-familiar tune.

"Oh no!" I cried, much to the surprise of my partner. I hastily excused myself, but it was too late.

"OH! HOT! HOT, HOT, HOT!! What a HOT BEAT!"

Several shrieks sounded as wide circle formed around the dancing Goron leader. Well, to him it was dancing. To the rest of us, it was a dangerously spastic series of jumps, flinging arms, and spins. I grimaced as a particularly enthusiastic jump left quite a noticeable dent in the marble. Thankfully, the song was swiftly brought to a close. At the Princess' amused applause, the rest of the assembly joined in. Darunia, embarrassed yet pleased, bowed to the room. The musicians continued on with a more subdued song, and the dancing resumed.

I decided it was a good time to go hide somewhere for a while, but as I neared the edge of the dance floor, Zelda appeared before me and her glare turned me right around. "If looks could kill…" I muttered over my shoulder.

I evaded Zelda narrowly during my next escape attempt by striking up a conversation with Rauru, who happened to be standing next to the exit. Zelda turned back to the dance floor, but not before scowling fiercely in my direction.

"That was one intense look, Link! What have you done now to earn the Princess' ire?" he inquired good-naturedly.

I sighed dramatically. "I was just trying to rest for a moment."

Rauru laughed. "Yes, I have seen you dancing almost non-stop these last four hours or so. I have the excuse of old age to exempt me from dancing."

"Lucky you." We stood silently for a few moments, watching the dancers, when a thought struck me.

"Rauru, you tend to stay in close proximity with the Sacred Realm, yes?"

"Indeed," he replied. "Why do you ask?"

"What alerted you to the weakening of the seal on Ganondorf?"

Rauru's face became serious. "The seal is like a living thing within us Sages. We have gotten used to it these eight years, and we hardly notice it anymore, unless there is some change. And that is the scary part. We did not even notice that there _had_ been some change in the seal until the change became rather significant." At my wary expression, he waved a hand. "No, the seal is not in any immediate danger of collapsing; we Sages are pouring our powers back into the seal to strengthen it, but we cannot keep that up forever. That is why we contacted you and young Sheik."

"So there is no activity on Ganondorf's side of the seal?"

"None whatsoever. Whatever is weakening the seal is on the outside, which is also incredibly baffling. No one has access to the seal except us Sages. Or so we thought."

"Link!" Zelda's shrill command interrupted us, "I have let you talk long enough. You are ignoring the young ladies! Now get back out there!" She smiled sweetly at Rauru before glowering in my direction. I sighed. Was the evening ever going to end?

SPOV

My feet were beginning to ache. I had danced every dance since Zelda forced both Link and I onto the dance floor after teasing us both unmercifully.

My partners were pleasant. Some were a little awed, and others slightly wary of me and my Sheikah heritage. I was used to it however, and the absence of my cowl helped put them at ease, as did my polite conversation. And the fact that many of them rivaled me in height.

I spotted Link several times. I could tell, even from a distance, that he wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to his partners. His mind was obviously a million miles away. He had perfected the art of _appearing_ politely interested in whatever his partner was saying.

I decided to use the opportunity to find out as much information as possible about the mysterious Prince Valek.

"Lady Raina," I addressed my current partner, "are you acquainted with the Prince Valek?"

"Oh no, I do not think _anyone_ is acquainted with the Prince. He was cloistered in his step-father's estate, as I am sure you know. My own father's cousin's sister-in-law's brother's country home is apparently in the same neighborhood as Lord Neyak's estate. Lord Neyak rarely entertains people is his own home, but he did have this relation over for brandy. Let's see, this must have been five or so years ago. He reported seeing a well-formed young man, of darker features than the average Hylian. We can only assume this was the Prince. The story goes that the Prince was given every material advantage available in the world. He had the best tutors and instructors. He became an exceptional swordsman, a skilled hunter, a proficient musician, an incredible scholar, and he possesses a vast amount of knowledge on the land of Hyrule and all of its little particulars and such. The library at Neyak's estate is rumored to be larger than the one at this castle. In fact," she lowered her voice, "some of the books are believed to be from _other worlds_!"

The dance ended and I could not reply to what she considered a truly shocking piece of information. I thanked her for the dance and moved on to secure another partner before Zelda found me.

I happened upon Saria and requested that she honor me with a dance.

"It would be my pleasure, Sheik." I led her out onto the floor.

"Ah, the joys of dancing with someone shorter than me."

Saria snorted delicately. "Yes, I saw that one girl—the one with the frizzy black hair?—she must have been closing in on six feet."

"I think I developed a crick in my neck while dancing with her."

Saria laughed as I spun us expertly around the floor.

"You are a remarkable dancer, Sheik. From whom did you learn?"

"One of the few remaining tribeswomen taught me to dance, and to cook, and sew, and all those skills that some might think of as womanly, but," I twirled Saria out, "come in handy at the most convenient of times. Link dances very well, too. Who taught him the art of dancing?"

Saria smiled mischievously. "Why, I did, of course! You should have seen us, all those years ago, twirling about in the forest glades. It made Mido, another of the Kokiri, mighty jealous! Link was so cute then." She smiled in remembrance. "Of course, he's grown up, and I must say, I am very proud of the young man he has become. And he's quite handsome, too!"

I decided that I definitely liked Saria: a child in appearance, but wise way beyond her years and yet still with a sense of humor that even a cynical Sheikah like me could appreciate.

I left Saria with Rauru and sought out another partner. I spied a young girl standing by herself near the wall and moved in her direction.

"My lady, may I have the next dance?" I inquired politely.

She positively started at the sight of me. She timidly raised her eyes to my face and answered in a trembling, small voice, "Y-yes."

All my attempts at conversation failed for the first few minutes. My gentle questions were met with one-syllable answers, if any at all. She dared not look higher than my collarbone, and I could barely feel her hand on my shoulder.

"Do you enjoy music, Lady Valeria?"

The gentle inquiry brought her eyes up to meet mine for a brief moment. "Oh, oh yes, yes in-indeed." She fell silent.

"Do you play any instruments, my lady?" I pressed.

"I play the piano, sir, and the harp." Ah, here was some common ground!

"Then we have something in common! I am a musician, too, my lady, and I carry my harp with me always." The timid Valeria warmed up to me swiftly in the following minutes. She spoke fondly of her own instrument, and the joy she got out of playing it.

Once she was comfortable speaking with me, I introduced the subject of Lord Valek. "Lady, do you know Prince Valek?"

"I have never seen him before this night, sir, but I have heard, through my mother's sister's husband's third cousin's daughter that he is a very proficient musician, and that he knows several—ah, _unique_ songs."

This piqued my interest. "Unique?" I questioned. "In what manner?"

"Well…" she looked slightly put out, "I'm not too sure."

She moved to another topic. The song ended some minutes later and I moved on to find yet another partner. The night seemed without end.

LPOV

Finally, several hours later, after dancing nearly every dance, the herald blew his trumpet again, announcing dinner. Sheik and I made our way somewhat wearily to stand behind Valek and Zelda. The Sages filed in behind us while the King led the procession into the dining hall.

"I saw you sneaking away earlier," Sheik accused in a whisper. "Or trying to, at least. It looked like Zelda gave you a pretty good tongue lashing on more than one occasion," he snickered quietly.

I elbowed him good-naturedly. "You know you thought about sneaking away, too."

"Ah yes, but I only _thought_ about it: I did not act on it, like some miscreants around here," he replied with mock _hauteur_.

I elbowed him again. He smiled at me, and I smiled back.

The moment was interrupted by our arrival at the dining hall. The butlers opened the doors with a flourish and everyone "Oo"-ed and "Aw"-ed at the lovely room. Panels of mirrors lined both of the long walls. The light from the crystal chandeliers hanging tastefully about the room cast a warm glow. The ceiling was gilded with gold, and in the middle of the ceiling, a large fresco had been painted, depicting the goddesses creating the world. Fine delicacies lay on the table. My stomach growled loudly.

"Link!" Sheik exclaimed.

A distinct growl sounded from the vicinity of Sheik's stomach.

"Sheik!" I admonished. We grinned at each other and took our places at the table.

The King sat at the head of the table with Zelda at his right. Valek claimed the spot next to her, and Impa sat on his other side. The Sages sat at the King's left. Sheik and I were seated next to each other beside Impa. The dinner was sumptuous and the conversation light and pleasant. Valek exhibited excellent manners as he engaged everyone's attention with his witty stories. I grudgingly admitted that he seemed a decent sort of fellow, even if he did slight Sheik and me. I returned my attention to the conversation.

Valek sighed dramatically. "Yes, it was quite terrible, being closeted away on my father's estate all those years. I believe I have missed out on much," he said, looking pointedly at Zelda (Sheik and Impa rolled their eyes), "but at least I am here now."

A middle-aged noble sitting several seats down addressed Valek. "Those years of isolation were put to good use, I hear. Word around here says you're one of the best swordsmen in the kingdom."

"I have been taught the art of sword-fighting, yes, but I would never claim to be one of the best," Valek replied neutrally.

Ruto clapped her hands enthusiastically. "Oh, we simply must have a demonstration tomorrow at the picnic! Link, you will spar with him, yes?"

I gave her a pained look. A suspicious cough to my right let me know of Sheik's amusement at my discomfort. Well, I certainly could not say no.

"If that is what you wish," I answered reluctantly.

Excited murmurs raced down the table. People might not know what I had accomplished in other times and other worlds, but they _did_ know that I was a highly skilled fighter.

The dinner dragged on. My eyes began to feel heavy and my feet throbbed. Sure, I could stay on my feet, fighting fierce enemies for days at a time, but a couple hours of dancing? That was obviously too much.

As the last of the plates were cleared away, the talk turned towards more serious matters; namely, the engagement.

"Your Majesty," Valek addressed the King, "have you set a date for the wedding yet?"

The King shook his head. "No, I have not. It was something I hoped to settle tonight. I want to take into consideration both of your opinions on the matter."

"Whatever date is fine with me," Valek replied congenially.

"A month from today?" The King said, looking at Zelda for approval.

I noticed the briefest look of alarm cross her face before she schooled her features.

"A month from today is perfect."

"Excellent!" The King gestured to the servants stationed around the room. They hastily brought forward glasses of champagne. As I accepted my glass, I happened to look towards Zelda. A guard had entered the room and was whispering urgently in her ear, and as I watched, her face paled dramatically. Impa saw the Princess' state and engaged Valek in conversation. Zelda's eyes met mine. She tilted her head fractionally towards the door. I nodded my head. I nudged Sheik's knee with mine, and he glanced at me. I muttered under my breath, "Follow me in two minutes." He inclined his head. I rose from the table, quite unnoticed, and made for the door. The guard that had spoken to Zelda waited for me in the hall.

"What is going on man?" I demanded.

He took a shuddering breath. "It's Kakariko. The village has been completely razed."

Author Note: Oho! Cliffhanger! Well, at least we got to through the actual banquet before anything bad happened!

The ballroom/throne room is modeled directly after the throne room in Twilight Princess (you know the one you fight Ganon and the possessed Zelda in?) and the dining room is modeled after a room I saw in Italy. Oh, and the line dances are not country western line dances, they are the Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice type line dances.

Now, I'm not too sure how often I'll be able to update in the next few weeks, because things will be getting _really _busy around here. So, if you could drop me a review, that would be absolutely _lovely_. :)


	7. Kakariko

Chapter 7 Kakariko

Author Note: Thank you to all my reviewers: White Mage Koori, Are You Afraid of the Dark, Ryukai-MJ, lydia2693, and cheesy lasagana!

This chapter is wrapping up the Castle arc and moving into a new arc that I haven't decided on a name for yet. Enjoy!

LPOV

At the man's words, I groaned. "Not again."

"Not again what?" came Sheik's voice from behind me.

I turned to him. "Kakariko's been razed. First my home, and now this."

"What's this about your home?" Zelda asked, walking into the room. I signaled that I'd tell her later.

"How many are dead?" Sheik asked the guard, his face hardening into a metal mask.

"Not that many; five at the most. Most of the townsfolk escaped. The injured have been brought into Market Town and are being treated as we speak."

"Has the fire been contained?" I asked.

The guard nodded. "Soldiers were dispatched and swiftly contained the fire. Investigations showed the fire was started by explosives. The explosives were detonated by flaming arrows."

"Did anyone see who was shooting the arrows?" Sheik questioned.

"We have not had the opportunity to question the townsfolk yet, but I doubt anyone saw anything. Everyone was in a panic."

The door opened behind us and the Sages walked in. I quickly filled them in on the details.

"Zelda, I apologize for running out on you, but I must return to the forest and secure the Kokiri's safety," Saria said.

"Of course, go ahead Saria. Darunia, Ruto, you should probably go check on your tribes too. Rauru, I think you should get back to the Light Temple." She looked wryly at Nabooru, "Not that I doubt your women's ability to defend themselves, but I think you should probably head back to the desert as well. Impa, head to Kakariko and scout for evidence. Link, Sheik, you will accompany her. I will keep the guests entertained. Report to me on the findings, whatever they may be."

She turned to the guard and issued more orders concerning the villagers. The Sages departed in their characteristic blinding flashes of light.

"Meet me in the stable in five minutes," Impa ordered. Sheik and I nodded curtly before hurrying up to our room.

"It looks like we have a long night ahead of us," I quipped.

"Night, Link? Dawn is only an hour or two away."

I heaved a sigh. "Well, this won't be the first time I go without sleep."

We entered the room. I yanked off my evening wear and paused to rifle through the freshly-laundered-and-mended pile of clothes sitting on my side of the bed. I pulled on my leggings and boots. I decided to leave the chain mail. It was very fine quality and did not impede my movements at all. I tugged the tunic over my head and secured my pouch and belt around my waist and my sword and shield on my back. I turned in time to see Sheik tucking in the last bit of white bandage around his head.

Sheik had left the black exoskeleton-esque suit on, but replaced the ropes of white silk with fresh white cloth bandages, as well as replacing the white gauntlets with black ones. His cowl firmly in place, he nodded to me and we exited the room.

SPOV

Impa stood in the doorway of the barn holding Reiyassan's reins, waiting for us. Two grooms stood at her side, holding Samar and a fully-recovered Epona. Impa threw Link and I saddle bags as we walked into the courtyard. We mounted and took off at a quick pace through the village and into Hyrule field beyond.

We turned the horses towards Kakariko and urged the horses into a gallop. Black columns of smoke still rose above the village and the acrid smell of smoke wafted through the air. As we drew closer to the village, I noticed ash falling around us. The horses clambered up the steps and into Kakariko.

"By the Triad," Link breathed.

The first time Kakariko was razed was bad enough. This was a hundred-fold worse. Not a single building was left standing. Small fires still smoldered and black scorch marks decorated the entire village. The three of us dismounted and advanced into the wreckage. A guard approached us and bowed to Impa.

"Princess Zelda has sent you?" he asked.

"Yes, Talone, she has sent us to investigate," she turned to us. "You've met Link, and this is my nephew, Sheik, of the Sheikah. They are here to help me. What can you tell me of the attack?"

He motioned for us to follow him. "The explosives were placed in highly flammable areas: a haystack, an old wooden barn, houses with thatch roofs, et cetera. The person who detonated them must have been in one of the hills surrounding the village. My guess would be on the east hill. That would put the shooter in range and it would afford them an unobstructed view of all the explosives. A villager told me that the explosions occurred in quick succession, so whoever set them off was a skilled shooter. We couldn't find any arrows, either. I guess they too burnt in the fire."

"Impa, I will go up onto the hill and see if the attacker left anything behind. Link, sweep the surrounding area." Link nodded and set off. I walked to where Impa's house used to be located. The surrounding rock wall was lowest here, so I swiftly climbed up the rock face. The ground was relatively even atop the hill. I made my way back towards the entrance, scouring the area the entire way. Although the position did allow a clear view of the whole village, there were no trees or bushes to provide cover. Near the entrance, the ground showed clear scuff marks where whoever was shooting had climbed into position. I kneeled down to look closer. The person had lain down on the ground—areas were worn smooth. I stood back up and sought out Impa. A cry near the windmill ripped through the air. Link's shout sent me scrambling down the hill and running towards the windmill.

"Link!"

"Behind the windmill!" he yelled. I shimmied up the wall and ran around the corner. Link stood, straining to hold up a huge, fallen crossbeam. Underneath, a slim young woman lay unconscious. I ran forward and grabbed her under the arms and pulled her out. Link let the crossbeam fall back to the earth with a huff of breath. I quickly checked her pulse and respiration.

"She's alive, but I'm quite sure her leg's broken. I think a bird's leg bends that way, but certainly not a human's. What happened?"

"I swept the lower level of the village, then came up here. A whimpering noise brought me around the back of the windmill. I rounded the corner just in time to see the crossbeam fall and pin her to the ground."

"Let's get her to a healer," I said. Link picked her up and we made our way back to the entrance. Impa and Talone reached the entrance about the same time we did. At her raised eyebrow, I hastened to explain the situation. The guard summoned a healer while Link eased the girl onto a relatively clean area of ground. The healer, a friendly-looking old man, quickly straightened the bones in her leg before pouring a red potion down her throat. The girl stirred and opened her eyes.

"Hello there, young one. Feeling better?" he asked her.

"Y-yes. What happened? Who are you?" she asked in a raspy voice.

"My name is Sileph, my dear, and I am a healer. I think these young men can explain what happened better than I can."

Link knelt down. "Hello, my name is Link. A crossbeam fell on you, and me and Sheik here," he gestured to me, "lifted the beam off of you and pulled you out. What's your name?"

"Selia, sir."

"What happened to you before the beam fell on you, Selia?"

"I…I was out in the graveyard when the explosions started. By the time I reached the village, walls of flame blocked further access. I climbed onto the hill and hid behind the windmill. The smoke was too much and I guess I passed out. I woke later, and started to get up, when the beam fell on me and I passed out again."

"Selia," I asked, "do you remember seeing anyone in the hills when you returned from the graveyard?"

"I…well, I think…before I passed out the first time, that I saw a figure…through the flames. It didn't seem entirely…human. From my vantage point, the thing seemed to be burning. I remember…glowing eyes. I could have imagined it. I was blacking out when I saw it."

"Thank you, my dear. That should help these young men. Here's something to soothe your throat." Sileph ushered the girl off to a tent the soldiers had erected.

"Sheik, did you find anything?" Impa questioned me.

"Yes. I found the area where the shooter fired from. Whoever it was came through the entrance of the village. There are scuff marks at the top of the hill, as well as a smooth area where the shooter laid. I need to take a closer look. You two should come, too. You might see something I missed."

I showed them the spot on the hill and they scouted the area. I studied the scuff marks closer. There were gouge marks above the scuffed earth. The person had used some type of grappling hook to climb up the hill.

"Hey, I found some footprints!" Link called. Impa and I looked at the footprint. There was only one, and it was _huge_. I had never seen a footprint that big.

"Link, I think whoever this is has bigger feet than you. Which is quite impressive, if you ask me."

Link sniffed disdainfully. "Humph. Well, no one asked you."

"Okay you two," Impa said. "I think it's human, regardless of the size. That's clearly a boot. I mean, do enemies normally wear boots?"

"Well, generally when I fight enemies, I'm not looking at the style of shoes they're wearing. Generally, I'm more concerned with the various macabre weapons they're using to try to kill me."

I fought back a grin. Impa raised her eyebrows.

"Impa, there are gouge marks above the scuff marks. Our shooter came in the main entrance and turned east immediately after passing through the gate. They must have used some type of grappling hook to climb up. So that would lead us to believe that someone would have noticed a person scaling a wall inside the gate."

Impa nodded her head. "Yes, and the townsfolk should have noticed someone snooping around haystacks and such."

"Was there a guard standing at the entrance of the village?"

"Ah, Talone informed me that the guard was one of the casualties. So no luck there."

"Damn. And here I thought we'd catch a break," Link said. We stood together and looked out over the destruction in the village.

"This is definitely a big blow for the people who live here," Impa said. "But they are tough, and will rally together and re-build."

By silent mutual agreement, we climbed back down.

"Link, did you find anything when you swept the village?"

"No, I found nothing."

Impa sighed. "Okay, well if that's everything, let's get back to the castle and speak to Zelda, then I think you two might want to head to the desert. Talone will question the villagers and he'll let us know if he finds anything."

We arrived back in Market Town as the sun was setting. My eyelids were starting to close of their own volition. A glance at Link showed that he fared no better. Impa showed no signs of weariness, but then, she hadn't spent the majority of the previous night dancing.

We dismounted and turned the horses over to the waiting stable hands.

"I think you two need a bath and some food before you see Zelda. I'll have trays sent up to you, and then Zelda will be up to talk to you. I think she has some things for you before you two leave."

Link and I trudged up the stairs. "I can't even think straight right now," Link said wearily.

I nodded my head in agreement. "I hope I don't drown in the tub."

Link snorted tiredly. "I'll pull you out…unless I fall in too. Ah well, I always figured I'd die in some thoroughly un-heroic way, like drowning in a six inches of water, or choking on a chicken bone at dinner."

We reached the door and practically fell through. Link stumbled to the east bathing room, and I went to the one in the west.

Several minutes later, we emerged, still dripping water, our clothes bundled into our hands, wearing only shorts. My weary mind woke up a little bit at the sight of Link's naked torso. I felt the heat rush into my cheeks, but I wasn't quite awake enough to care.

Link threw his clothes onto a bedside table and flopped onto the bed and threw an arm across his eyes. I set my clothing and weapons on the table before gingerly sitting on the bed. Link peeked at me from beneath his arm.

"I think it would be thoroughly beneficial if we took this night to recuperate before we set out. I don't think I'll be able to get up again."

I grunted in agreement. A knock sounded at the door. Several nondescript kitchen servants pushed a tray into the room. They removed the lids and delicious aromas wafted towards us. Link groaned in longing. The sound sent heat shooting through me and more blood colored my cheeks. I stood to accept the food from the servants. They nodded and quietly exited the room.

"What'd they bring us?" Link inquired.

"Er, some type of chicken and pasta, salad, fresh bread, vegetable soup, fresh fruit, some little cakes, a pitcher of water—excellent! They brought coffee, too! What would you like?"

"I'll take a little of everything, please." I put together our two plates and returned to the bed. Link propped himself against the headboard and accepted the plate I passed him. I settled myself next to him and tucked in to my plate. We ate in companionable silence for several minutes before another knock sounded at the door. Zelda, dressed in a servant's garb, slipped into the room. Her face was lined with weariness, but her lips quirked into a smile at the sight of us, bare-chested, sitting in bed eating like kids. As I started to rise, she waved a hand and made herself comfortable at the foot of the bed.

"Hey guys. Is dinner to your liking?"

Link answered. "Yes, it's very good Zelda. What did you do all day while we were away?"

She sighed and passed a hand over her eyes. "I brought the dinner party to a close and sent all the guests off to bed. Valek was worried about the situation. He figured something was wrong, but I got him safely ensconced in his room. Then I changed into commoner's clothing and helped with the displaced villagers. Healing, organizing shelters, et cetera. I spoke with many of the villagers. Only a few people think they saw the attacker. They all said the same thing: a tall figure that appeared to be burning with glowing eyes."

"Did they see anyone suspicious? Those explosives had to have been placed by someone."

"Well, no one saw a tall male walking around. A woman said, however, that she _did_ see a young woman at the well. She had never seen her before, and the girl seemed…nervous, I guess. But when I asked the woman to point out this girl, she couldn't find her."

I looked at Link. "Do you think…?"

He nodded grimly. "I think we know who placed the explosives."

Zelda looked between us questioningly. Link answered in a monotone. "Selia."

I explained to Zelda what had transpired in the village. Her face became more alarmed. She jumped to her feet and called Impa, who appeared in the room a moment later.

"Impa, I need you to find the young woman that Link and Sheik saved. We have good reason to believe that she was involved directly in the incident." Impa nodded and was gone. Zelda paced back in forth a few times. I pushed my now-empty plate aside, and Link did the same. Zelda saw the empty plates, snapped her fingers, and they disappeared.

"I have something for you two." Zelda reached into her bodice and pulled out an object and held it out for our inspection. It was a light purple, with a dark purple center. The center glowed as if it housed a hidden fire. The thing looked like a jewel, roughly the length and width of Zelda's hand.

Link gasped. "Is that what I think it is?"

Zelda laughed quietly. "What do you think it is?"

"It looks like one of my other spells." Link pulled out an object identical to the one Zelda held; only it was light blue with a dark blue center.

"Yes, it's a spell. But it's quite different from the ones the goddesses gave you."

"The goddesses gifted you with their powers?" I asked incredulously.

"Yeah, that's how I got my ability to light fires. This one," he held up the blue one, "makes me invincible for a short time. The other one I have allows me to create warp points in a temple. They're all bloody useful and I wouldn't have gotten through that whole mess the first time without them. So Zelda, what does this one do?"

"Actually, there are two of them. Identical: one for you, one for Sheik. These will allow you to locate each other if you get separated, or communicate over long distances. Just keep them somewhere on your person and you can use them at any time."

Link's face took on an innocent expression. "Do they have catchy names, like 'Zelda's Fury'?" Zelda snorted at the weak joke and threw a pillow at his head. He ducked and smiled with true gratitude.

"Thank you, Zelda. These will definitely come in handy."

"Thank you, Princess," I added my thanks.

"You're welcome, but I'm not done yet." She pulled out two glowing circlets. "Put these around your neck. They will disappear once you put them on. However, they will reduce any damage you receive from enemies by fifty percent."

"Oho!" Link exclaimed, "These will _really_ be useful!"

"Yes, Link, with the protection you received the first time around, along with the additional protection you received in Termina, and now this, you're practically invincible!"

Link chuckled. "If only. But thanks again Zelda!"

Zelda's answer was forestalled by Impa's reappearance in the room.

"Zelda, I'm sorry to say that Selia has disappeared. I guess she high-tailed it out of there at the first opportunity. None of the soldiers even noticed her departure. It looks like she must have set out to join back up with whoever lit the fires."

Zelda cursed softly. "Alert the soldiers. Have her description spread amongst the people. Put everyone on alert." She turned back to us. "One more thing before I leave. What was this earlier about your house, Link?"

"Yesterday, when Sheik and I went to get Epona, we arrived to find Epona covered in blood and whip marks and my house in chaos. Someone broke in and trashed the place: ruined most of my books, slashed my furniture, crushed some of my masks, and smashed many of my keepsakes. I need to go back by there before I head to the desert to put the remainder of my belongings in a safe place."

"I am so sorry, Link. What do you think they were looking for?"

"I haven't the slightest clue. But whatever it is, they didn't find it. I couldn't find anything missing. And then we were attacked by two Dinalfos."

"Goddesses. Whoever is behind all this has certainly been busy in the last few days. Well, you two get some sleep. You need rest before you set out for the desert. I'll see you at breakfast." Impa and Zelda nodded to us and exited the room.

Link and I settled the circlets about our necks and pocketed the spells. With some murmured goodnights, we snuffed out the candles and allowed sweet oblivion to claim us at last.

LPOV

I came to myself slowly sometime in the early morning. Rhythmic soft breaths stirred the hair against my neck, and a warm chest pressed into my back. Soft arms twined themselves around my chest and legs curled around my own. I opened my eyes to slits and peeked down at the tan hand resting against my chest. I smiled and sighed quietly before closing my eyes again.

When I awoke sometime later, Sheik's warmth was gone. I groaned and stretched my arms above my head, arching my back like a cat. A clatter made me snap my eyes open. Sheik stood at the bedside table, his face flushed red, brush poised above his wheat-colored hair. I grinned at him.

"Morning, Sheik. Sleep well?" Sheik's face flushed even more and he mumbled something while resuming the brush strokes. He turned to the side, giving me a nice view of his profile. He had not changed into his clothes yet, so I could easily see how every movement of his hand pulled the muscles of his chest and abdominals taut.

"Your hair could stand to be brushed, Link," Sheik said slyly. I reached a hand and felt the knotted mass that must surely resemble a hay stack.

"Well, let me see your brush and I'd be happy to oblige," I returned.

"Don't you have your own brush in that magical storage shed you carry on your belt?"

"Believe it or not, I don't. Or I don't think I do. Er…Hell, I don't know. I bet Zelda would provide me with one if I asked, though." Sheik shook his head fondly and sauntered into the bathroom.

"You need to get ready, Link," he called. "We have to be at breakfast in a little under an hour, and this is the last day we'll have access to an honest-to-goodness bathing tub with warm water. I'd take advantage of it, if I were you."

"I think I shall take advantage of it." I sat up and stretched one more time before rising to my feet and shuffling to the opposite bathroom. The tub was already filled with steaming water. I shucked off my shorts and slid into the water. I lay there for several minutes, letting the warm water ease some of the knots of tension in my body. I used some of the soaps and oils to wash and try to return some semblance of order to my hair. I located a comb sitting on the side table. I worked on the tangles so I was finally able to run the comb through my hair without catching it on a snarl. Once I was finished, I rose from the water and dried off and wrapped the towel around my hips. Returning to the room, I found my clothing once again washed, mended, and folded, sitting on the edge of the bed. Sheik entered the room, hair dripping wet, clad only in a towel wrapped precariously around his narrow waist.

Needless to say, my face immediately took on the coloring of a ripe tomato.

When Sheik saw me, he gave a thoroughly undignified squeak and gripped the towel tighter around his waist. "Link! I didn't think you'd be done so quickly!" He snatched up his clothes and made a madly graceful dash back into the safety of the bathroom. I picked up my clothing and changed quickly. Sheik walked sedately back into the room a few moments later, clad deliciously in skin-tight body armor and bandages from the tip of his head to the soles of his feet. I glared pointedly at the cowl. Sheik shrugged and walked to the table and began stowing his weapons. I shook my head and strapped on my own weapons. Once both properly accoutered, we exited the room together.

Zelda was the only other person in the small dining room when we arrived. She waved us over and gestured to the servants standing by the wall. As we seated ourselves, steaming plates were placed in front of us.

"Eat up, boys," Zelda said, waving her fork enthusiastically. "This will be your last good meal for quite a while."

Sheik and I grimaced in acknowledgement. We tucked into our plates with gusto. Impa entered the room and nodded to us before taking the seat to the Princess' right. She silently started her meal. A servant rushed into the room and whispered into Zelda's ear. I watched carefully, expecting bad news. To my surprise, her face lit up with excitement. She nodded eagerly and whispered a few words back before waving the servant away. She turned to me with a gleam in her eye.

"Uh-oh."

"Don't 'uh-oh' me, Link! I have very good news for you. But I don't think I'm going to tell you now…"

I groaned. "Come _on_ Zelda! Don't be a tease!"

She grinned unrepentantly and returned to her meal. I bit back a retort when Valek crossed the threshold.

"Good morning, Princess. Impa, Link, Sheik." He bowed to Zelda and nodded to us each in turn. He took a seat next to Impa, directly across from me.

"Link, I'm sorry you have to rush off. I was looking forward to sparring with you. Ah well, I suppose there will always be next time," he said good-naturedly.

I managed a smile that wasn't _too _strained and nodded. I hadn't the slightest clue what Zelda had told Valek about where Sheik and I were going.

Between Zelda and Valek, the conversation flowed effortlessly. Valek even engaged Sheik in conversation for a few minutes. His former coolness with us had vanished. When he finished his plate, he rose and excused himself, bidding us a pleasant trip.

Zelda started to rise when another servant rushed in the room. He bent and whispered into her ear. This news, however, was _not _good news. But it didn't seem to be too terrible.

Zelda rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Someone tried to break into the treasury again. Honestly, people are under the delusion that we actually put stuff _in _the treasury. It's quite ridiculous."

"Well Princess," Impa cut in, "was anything stolen?"

"No, they didn't succeed, whoever they were. The wards were tripped, and when they realized that, they scrammed."

"Are you going to be okay while we're gone?" I asked, only a little worried.

"Pssh. You forget I'm the Seventh Sage. I think I can hold my own. Besides, Impa is here with me, and the other Sages are only a call away."

"Well, okay then. Just watch yourself," I admonished.

Zelda put on her most angelic expression. "I will do my utmost to stay out of harm's way."

"Humph. And you say _I'm_ a magnet for trouble."

"Now, come on, I have a _huge_ surprise for you. I can't wait to see your face! Come on!"

Zelda jumped out of her chair and beckoned us to follow her. She took us down several hallways before stopping at a door and ushering us inside.

"Stay right here," she ordered, then rushed out of a side door.

Sheik and I exchanged quizzical glances but did as we were bid. Zelda rushed back into the room, followed closely by a glowing ball of light…

"NAVI!!" I yelled, running towards the fairy.

"LINK!" she screeched in her wonderfully-familiar-ear-shattering voice. I cupped my hands and she landed in them, fiercely hugging my thumb.

"I've missed you so much, Navi! Where on earth have you been all this time?"

"Well, I had to leave you when you went back in time, because you aren't actually a Kokiri, you know. But then, I couldn't bring myself to bond to a new child. So I stuck around with the Great Deku Tree, helping out, stuff like that. And then, the other day, the Princess came into the forest, spoke with The Guardian, and BAM!" she screeched loudly, "Here I am! I'm going to help you and Sheik with your new mission. Oh, Link! I've missed you soooo much!"

"I have so much to tell you, Navi. So many things have happened since I last saw you."

"Yes, yes, we'll have all the time in the world to catch up. But for right now, we need to get a move on. But first things first." She fluttered her wings and flew over to Sheik. He cupped his hands as I had done, and she landed in them. "Sheik, it is a pleasure to finally meet the real you. I'm glad Link will have someone with him this time around."

Sheik was staring at the forest sprite in amazement. "I…ah yes, I am happy to be of service. And it's nice to meet you as myself."

Navi flew back to me and settled on my shoulder as if she had never left. I smiled at Zelda, fighting back the moisture in my eyes.

"Thank you, Zelda. I can't say how grateful I am."

Zelda was obviously very pleased. "You're quite welcome, Link. I thought you and Sheik might need a little more help. And Navi will definitely keep you two in line. I didn't want to say anything in case things didn't work out. But I'm glad they did," she clapped her hands together. "Now, Link, Sheik, Navi, I think it's time. The horses are saddled and waiting. I have put together your bags. You have everything you'll need. Is there anything else?"

"I think that's it, Zelda. Thank you for everything. Please take care of yourself while we're gone. We'll contact you with anything we find."

Sheik bowed low. "Princess, thank you. Let me echo Link's sentiments. Please be safe. If you need anything, let us know."

Zelda led us down to the stables. "Oh, I'm going to miss you two! Please be safe!" Zelda pulled us both into a hug. She wiped moisture from her eyes as she released us and we mounted the horses.

She looked up at us. "The goddesses be with you."

With a final nod, we set off for the desert.

Author Note: I debated whether I would bring Navi back or not, but then I thought, "What's a Zelda adventure _without_ an annoying fairy?" So I just had to! Next chapter should be up in a few days.

And, for the sake of all that's holy, _review_!


	8. The Gerudos

Chapter 8 The Gerudos

Thank you to my reviewers Hunter of Darkness and Are You Afraid of the Dark!

Sorry for the lateness! I hit a little road bump in the story, but it resolved itself quite nicely in the end. So here's chapter 8! Enjoy!

SPOV

With the morning sun just cresting the hills, we spurred the horses towards the home of the Gerudos. I noticed the tight expression on Link's face.

"What's the intense look for, Link?"

He grimaced slightly. "I'm not overly fond of the Gerudo women."

I tilted my head up. "Surely, the great Hero of Time, who has stood against countless evils and prevailed over them all, is not afraid of a couple of _women_?"

"Okay, they are NOT just women. Have you ever been _around _them? I would rather face a pack of Wolfos any day than brave the fortress."

"They must have done something pretty terrible to you to deserve such censure."

He shot me a glare. "You'd feel the same, if they had imprisoned, starved, beat, and attempted to have their wicked way with you."

"Ah, come now Link…that was when they thought all males were the scum of the earth. With Ganondorf's influence removed, I bet they're actually a lovely group of people."

Link snorted disdainfully. "Ha. You keep telling yourself that, Sheik. Just don't accept any drinks except what Nabooru gives you, and for heaven's sake, don't wander off on your own! Those women are the most lustful people you'll ever meet, and will take advantage of you in a heartbeat."

I chuckled quietly before a thought struck me. "Hey, aren't we supposed to go by your house?"

"Nah, I talked with Zelda, and she's sending Impa and some of her personal guards to go collect my belongings and put them in a safe place. She didn't want to delay our journey any more. And that's where Navi went off to. She wanted to oversee the moving of my items. She'll meet us at the fortress later tonight."

We settled into companionable silence as the horses clambered up the hill by Lon Lon Ranch. I looked out over the expanse of Hyrule Field once we reached the top. I let out a sigh of admiration.

"It sure is pretty, isn't it?" Link asked, also taking in the sights. I nodded in affirmation.

"The land of Hyrule is truly beautiful and untainted. Let's do our best to keep it that way, eh, Link?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Not long after, the lush green grass gave way to red sand and rock. We maneuvered the horses between the random stray fences and into the narrow trail that wound its way into the Gerudo Valley. The roar of the waterfall got louder as we crossed the felled tree.

"I'm glad the bridge isn't broken like last time," I stated as we traversed the bridge over the gorge. "Zelda nearly gave me a heart attack when she jumped."

Link choked and twisted to face me. "Zelda _jumped_? I couldn't even make the jump!"

"Ah, but you are not in possession of an extremely agile and dexterous body like those the Sheikah have. Rare is the day that a Sheikah misses a jump. We don't fall, in general." Link shook his head in wide-eyed amazement.

As we reached the other side of the bridge, a haughty voice sounded from above us. "Halt, you stupid Hylians…oho, not just a Hylian, but a Sheikah, too! Things are going to be interesting tonight!"

Link grimaced in extreme distaste. "Aveil, you know I'm allowed here. And this is Sheik, and he is also allowed here, under Nabooru's authority. Speaking of which, is she here?"

The woman named Aveil dropped down in front of us. She wore the customary Gerudo garb, only it was red, not purple. She held two wicked looking scimitars.

"Why in such a hurry, Link? I was just trying to have a little fun," she pouted. The effect was scary and really didn't invoke sympathy. As Link's grim face didn't change, she sighed dramatically, rolled her eyes, and explained. "Nabooru had to run to the Desert Colossus. She should be back by dinner. Did you need something in particular?"

"We're looking for the Story Weaver. Some, ah, _events_ have been occurring lately, and I am searching for information. Nabooru said the Story Weaver might be able to help."

"I suppose I could take you to her. She is quite old, mind you, and her eyesight is totally gone, but age has not affected her mind. If anyone can help you, she can."

"What exactly do Story Weavers do?"

She took a moment before answering. "They are a mysterious bunch. And quite cryptic. They know the events that have made your life, and they know, in a sense, the events of your future. But it's all shrouded in secrecy, and no one knows the full extent of a Story Weaver's knowledge or power. Sometimes, there are things that they do not know, for whatever the reason. I guess it's all up to fate."

Aveil led us into the fortress. She took us up the steps and into the main…courtyard, if the barren strip of red sand in front of the fortress could be called such. I looked up to see that several guards had their bows trained on us. I repressed a shudder. The Gerudos' prowess with the bow was legendary. Aveil waved a hand and they relaxed their stance.

"Has Link come to spend some quality time with us?" a lewd voice asked. "I see he brought a friend, too. Don't worry; we'll take good care of you," the voice purred. By now I was grimacing in distaste as well. I could understand where Link had been coming from.

"Unfortunately, they are here on business," some groans rose from the assembled women, "to see Alea," Aveil finished. She motioned us forward into the fortress. We dismounted and the Gerudo stable master came forward to take the horses. Link and I both breathed sighs of relief as we passed into the shadowy interior; the desert was _hot_.

Over the next few minutes, Aveil led us deep into the fortress. I tried to memorize the path she took, but as we went along, I had a suspicious feeling that she was leading us in circles before taking us to Alea. A defense precaution, to confuse outsiders, though I had no idea who would be stupid enough to try and infiltrate their fortress…oh, wait. Link had already done that.

"Finally," Link muttered as we entered a dimly-lit room.

Aveil announced us. "Alea, the Hylian Link and his Sheikah friend Sheik are here to see you."

"Ah yes, the Children of Destiny. I knew you would come. You may leave us, Aveil." Aveil bowed and exited.

"Well, come closer children, I shall not bite." She waved us over. We cautiously approached the old woman. Her skin was deeply wrinkled (a side effect, I supposed, from being in the hot desert sun, all day, every day, year after year) and her shoulders stooped. Her eyes had completely glazed over and were a milky whitish color; however, she still retained an air of dignity. I dropped to one knee in respect, and Link followed suit.

She frowned thoughtfully as she looked down at us. She did not need sight to see. "The questions you have come to ask are rather sticky and the answers are not simple ones."

Link gazed steadily at the woman. "How much do you know of what has happened in the land of Hyrule?"

"Well, let's see…I know that our King did not die of natural causes. I know that he entered the Sacred Realm, stole the Triforce of Power, and became an evil sorcerer king. He wreaked havoc on the land of Hyrule and poisoned the temples. And I know that a boy, trapped in an adult's body, fought the darkness, and won. I know all this, because the lines of your story shine true and clear. I can also clearly see the Sheikah's story. The threads of his fate and yours are deeply entwined, and shall remain so throughout your life. Other stories are not so clear." Link and I exchanged surprised glances at all she knew.

And…the thought of being closely _entwined_ with Link made me unaccountably excited. I reined in my errant thoughts.

Link spoke up. "Alea, have you related those events to anyone else?"

"Of course not, child! I am well aware of the fact that all that occurred in the other time must remain in the strictest confidence. That is something I would never tell anyone who did not already know."

"Alea," I questioned, "what exactly is it that you do?"

"You ask a very difficult question, young Sheik. As a Story Weaver, I show people their lives and help them work through the difficulties they have with their past. I help guide them to their future. And I give aid to handsome young men looking for answers. Of course, there are some rather heavy provisos. For instance, there are some people whose stories I cannot access. A person's future is even sketchier. I see…glimpses, I suppose you could say, of things to come. Would you like a demonstration? Shall I show you your own stories? They are very good. Time is such a mysterious thing. The alteration of time makes things even more complex." She lifted her hands and rested them on our heads and spoke several words in an ancient, unfamiliar tongue. Bright light shown behind my eyes and blinded me. I blinked rapidly as the light faded. A shining silver thread floated in front of my eyes. Judging by Link's sharp intake of breath, he also had his life before his eyes. "Now children," Alea continued, "look closely."

The thread writhed and shimmered as it changed and formed into one memory after another. My past played out in perfect detail: my birth and my parent's joy; the bloody raid on our camp that took my parents', as well as most of the clans', lives; growing up in my foster parent's home; the first time I met Impa; my first harp; Sheikah training; the day I learned of my part in the war against Ganondorf; Zelda's arrival and subsequent inhabitation of my body. I replayed all those years of being only in my mind: the feeling of helplessness, overwhelming loneliness, and frustration. I saw once again the horrors Ganondorf committed. I became aware of tears flowing unchecked down my face. The images continued: the last time I saw Link; the return to my own body and my race across the desert; my talk with Zelda and her sending me back in time. Here the thread split, and started back with my ten-year-old self. Evil no longer plagued Hyrule and I saw myself grow up in relative peace, the only blight being the death of the rest of the Sheikah in my clan. The last few years played out: growing and training, traveling and playing music, visiting the castle, catching a few cherished glances of Link while he stayed at the castle, and on till the images reached my most current memories: meeting Link at his house, the ball, Kakariko. The memories played up till the moment we entered Alea's room, and then they stopped abruptly.

I sat, unmoving, for many minutes, just taking in all I had seen. Eventually, I pulled myself together. I took a shuddering breath and turned to Link, who also had tear tracks down his face. He gave me a small, watery smile before we turned back to Alea. She looked at us with compassion in her eyes.

"Seeing every moment of your life, painful or otherwise, is no easy thing. Now, as I am sure you noticed, the images stopped when you entered the room. No one, including myself, can totally predict the future. Too many things influence it; the most seemingly inconsequential choices could change your destiny. You write your own future. Knowing this, ask me what you have come to ask me."

Link and I exchanged glances before I answered. "Alea, we seek information on Ganondorf's young life: birth, childhood, everything. Can you tell us his story?"

"Hmm…unfortunately, that is one of the stories I cannot access. You see, Ganondorf was born as the sole male of the Gerudo. His whole birth and youth are completely shrouded in secrecy."

"You can tell us nothing, not even anything about his mother or father?" Link asked, disappointment clear in his voice.

"His mother died in childbirth; that much I _do _know. It is common knowledge that Koume and Kotake raised him." She pursed her lips and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Gerudo males are raised in an undisclosed location on the far, far side of the desert. Past the Desert Colossus." She closed her eyes in concentration and went silent for many minutes. I sent Link a puzzled look.

"Ah," she sighed, opening her eyes again. "Although the events remain unclear, there are some emotions I can discern from what I believe to be the mother's end. Pain, elation, more pain, shock, fear, much fear, tentative hope, relief, then death."

"Er…thanks. We'll try to use that. I guess there's nothing left for us to do here except head out to Ganondorf's house." Link smacked his hands together and made to rise.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no! You two are staying the night, but of course. Viewing your whole life takes longer than you think. Night has already fallen. Aveil!" she yelled. Aveil entered the room moments later, "Is the banquet prepared for these two?"

"Yes, Alea. Come boys. I'll take you there."

Link and I rose and bowed to Alea before following Aveil out of the room.

"If you need anything else, boys, you know where I'm at!" her voice reached us in the hall.

"So, did you get the answers you were looking for?" Aveil asked, curiosity blatant in her voice.

"Somewhat," Link answered evasively. "Can you take the direct route, please? Because if you won't, then I will." Aveil looked highly affronted at this, but turned at the next corrider, leading us straight into the…dining hall? I guess that's what they called it. Link and I groaned in unison. Seemingly every single Gerudo had gathered in the room. Many had traded their already-scandalous outfits for something much more, ah, _revealing_. I sighed in relief as I spotted Nabooru lounging at the head of the table. She waved us over to sit at her left and right.

"So did you boys learn anything from the Story Weaver?" she asked.

"A little," Link answered. After the long journey this morning and the draining experience of seeing our lives played out, we were quite famished. The meal, surprisingly enough, was very good. _But then_, I had to remind myself, _these _are_ women_. With Nabooru present, the women behaved in a much more genteel fashion (only every other comment was lewd, and they kept their hands to themselves, for the most part).

Once the food was cleared away, Nabooru stood and spoke a few words to the women. Feeling rather drowsy and content, I tuned out most of her speech. When she was finished, she motioned for Link and I to follow her.

We passed through countless identical corridors. The only thing I noticed was that we seemed to be going up. After and interminable amount of time, we reached an empty, windowless room. Nabooru walked to the opposite wall and traced her hands in an invisible pattern along the wall. The stones shifted and a doorway appeared.

Nabooru smirked at Link's quiet gasp. "Didn't know about this room, did you?"

"Ah, but I know now," he replied cheekily.

We climbed a twisting, narrow set of stairs up and up. "Nabooru, where on earth are you taking us?" Link asked incredulously.

"I'm taking you to my own personal quarters. It's the safest place in the fortress, not to mention it has the best view."

After a dozen or so more stairs, we came to a landing. Nabooru produced a key and unlocked the door, then ushered us inside. With a wave of her hand, the torches mounted around the room blazed to life.

The room was large and circular. Thick, comfy rugs covered every inch of the floor and richly woven tapestries covered the stone walls. The furniture was all done in dark wood and consisted of a large armoire, vanity table, and several small end tables. The wall opposite the door was made entirely of crystal-clear glass with a glass door set off to the side. Nabooru moved to the intricately carved armoire and pulled out several soft furs and a feather pallet. The light shining from the torches made seeing out the glass impossible, so Link and I walked out the glass door and onto the balcony.

"_By the Triad_," Link breathed. I couldn't speak.

Nabooru's balcony was at the top of the cliff, high above the Gerudo's holding cell. The balcony gave an unobstructed view of the whole Gerudo valley and desert. The moon just a slim crescent, the stars shone like billions of brilliant diamonds against the inky blackness of the sky. The starlight made the desert glow. The sight was absolutely breathtaking.

"Pretty impressive, isn't it?" Nabooru said, walking out onto the balcony.

"Very," Link answered.

I shivered as a breeze blew in from the desert. Nabooru noticed. "It gets quite cold here at night. Shall we go back inside? I have some after-dinner drinks for you, and we can talk about what you learned from the Story Weaver."

Once Nabooru had ensconced us in warm rugs with mugs of spiced rum, she demanded we talk. Link took the lead and related all that Alea had said.

When he finished, Nabooru frowned thoughtfully. "Hmm…that doesn't really give you much to go on."

Link took off his hat and ran a tired hand through his disheveled hair. "Yeah, I'm well aware of that fact. I feel like we're searching for a needle in a haystack. Only we're not too sure if it's needle we're searching for. And it's too small to see. Were there no traces at all of someone entering the Sacred Realm?"

"None whatsoever. No one except us Sages have entered there, and yet, the Seal weakens daily. The most alarming thing is that the more we pour strength back into it, the faster the Seal weakens. This is such a mess." Nabooru fell backwards onto the pillow and stared at the ceiling for a moment before straightening again. "No one knows the exact location of the birthplace of the Gerudo males, not even me. What do you plan to do now?"

"We'll try to find the birthplace. We have to at least try."

Nabooru nodded and stood. "You'll want to head out at daylight. I'll have the horses ready for you, as well as all the provisions you'll need. Sleep well," she added as she exited the room.

I gave a yawn and looked at Link. He was looking out the window again, his expression frustrated.

"What are you hoping to find, Link?"

"I don't know, Sheik. But it's the only lead we have right now." He turned to face me. "We should probably get some sleep. Crossing the desert is one of my least favorite things to do. Too bad we can't warp the horses to the temple. That would make life so much simpler."

I nodded in agreement. "At least the winds aren't as bad as they were before. They kinda died down once Ganondorf was sealed."

By silent mutual agreement, we prepared for bed. Nabooru had left us two basins and pitchers of water to wash the desert grime away. I removed my wraps and neatly folded them then shucked off my boots, followed by my shirt. I settled onto the soft pallet and waited for Link to finish.

"How do we extinguish the torches?" he asked me. I gave a wave of my hand and they snuffed out. "Whoa. How'd you do that?"

"Trade secret, I'm afraid. Now come to bed." Link settled next to me. The pallet was much smaller than the bed we had shared in the castle. The inch of space between his arm and mine crackled with a whole field of electricity. My breathing became shallow and I tried to calm the racing of my heart. My whole body yearned to reach out and touch Link. With a Herculean effort, I turned on my side, away from Link, and did my best to fall asleep.

LPOV

Sleep continued to elude me as I lay there. My senses were hyperaware of the Sheikah laying only a couple of inches away. Earlier I had been drained and exhausted; now I was wide awake. Sheik's breathing had deepened and evened out some time ago. I lay there, trying to clear my mind, deepen my breathing—anything, to fall asleep.

Sheik let out a muffled groan and rolled over, throwing his arm over my chest, pillowing his head on my shoulder, and curling one of his legs around mine. My body froze. I didn't even breathe. My mind reeled from the warmth and _closeness _of Sheik. I let out a shuddering breath. My mind also took note of his hips pressed against mine. I tried to subdue the heat that was quickly pooling in my groin. Sheik shifted and I sucked in a breath. As I turned my face to see if he slept on, his face only scant inches away, his eyes fluttered open and met mine.

It took a moment for Sheik to fully focus and register the position we were in. A delicate blush stole over his cheekbones and his lips parted slightly as he breathed out. My eyes dropped of their own accord to his lips. A tiny corner of my mind suggested I should probably move away, but damn all, I _couldn't _move. Sheik had not moved either. I raised my eyes back to meet his. His eyes fell to half-mast as he breathed my name, "_Link."_

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING!?" screeched a horribly-familiar voice. Sheik and I sprang apart and faced Navi, sporting identical guilty expressions and deep blushes.

I coughed in embarrassment. "Ah, Navi, I see you made it here okay. Did everything go okay with the transport?"

"_Yes_, everything went okay. I asked, what were you doi—"

"Ah, Navi, I see you made it right on time," Nabooru said smoothly as she entered the room. I threw her a grateful glance and she winked at me in response.

"Hello, Nabooru! Long time, no see! What's on the agenda for these boys today?"

"They're heading out into the desert. Far out, past the Desert Colossus, in hopes of finding the place of Ganondorf's childhood."

Navi did not question why, only nodded and turned back to face us. "The sun rises in less than an hour. I suggest you get up and prepare for the day. Nabooru, is there a place they can bathe?" she asked, wrinkling her tiny nose.

Nabooru smirked. "Yeah, right through here." She walked to the eastern wall and pulled aside a tapestry, revealing a narrow staircase. "You two get cleaned up and I'll have breakfast waiting for you by the time you're done."

Sheik followed behind me as we descended the stairs. They led to another room; about half the size of Nabooru's and filled with gloriously steaming hot water.

"Oh," I groaned in longing, "a hot spring! I didn't even know they had these in Hyrule." I hastily stripped down to just my trousers and lowered myself into the water. "_Oooh_, that's nice," I said, leaning my head back against the rock.

As I heard the unmistakable sounds of Sheik undressing, I opened my eyes the tiniest amount and watched as his delicious skin was revealed. He gingerly stepped into the water, his eyes opening in surprise. "Oh! This is nice!" He sank into the water directly across from me. I searched for something to say, to ease the lingering embarrassment.

"The Gorons in Termina had several of these. When their Mountain Village froze over, and I had to trudge around in the snow for days at a time, those Hot Springs were lifesavers."

"Why did it freeze over?" he asked.

"Well, it's quite a long story. We might not have time for all of it right now. Hmm, let me start at the beginning…after Zelda returned me to my original time, and after I had re-established relationships with all the people I had met in the other time, I swiftly became restless. I explored every single inch of Hyrule, figured out all of its secrets and such. So one day, I was exploring around Zora's Fountain. Remember where the Great Fairy's Fountain was?" at his nod, I continued. "Well, beneath a large gray stone in front of the fountain, there was a hole in the ground. This opened into an underground chamber that led upwards quite a ways. It came out in those woods above the Fountain. Well, the woods went in two directions: one went back towards the Lost Woods in the Kokiri Forest; the other went to Termina, although I didn't know it at the time. So, I notified Zelda, loaded up my stuff, and headed off into unknown territory with Epona. As I was making my way through the woods, the Skull Kid, wearing a strange mask, jumped me. He took off with the Ocarina of Time and Epona. I chased him after him. We were friends, so it's not like he hadn't messed with me before—he does have a rather dark sense of humor. Anyway, once I caught up to him, he cursed me and turned me into a Deku Scrub whom he had killed and stolen the spirit of. Obviously, at that point, I realized something was terribly wrong with the Skull Kid. One of the fairies that had been with him, Tatl, got separated from her brother, Tael, so she followed me. I had no choice but to hunt down the Skull Kid. I passed through a doorway and entered another world—Termina. Once I got there, I encountered that creepy mask salesman from Market Town. He explained that he had come to Termina to find a mask the Skull Kid had stolen from him. This mask, Majora's Mask, was very evil. It took control of the wearer and wreaked havoc. The Skull Kid had been spreading chaos throughout the land of Termina: poisoning the swamp, freezing over the Goron's village, contaminating the Great Bay, spreading evil in Ikana. And he was going to destroy the land via the moon crashing into it in three day's time. On midnight of the third day, I got back the ocarina and played the Song of Time, sending us all back three days ago. That's when the real adventure started." I delighted in Sheik's enraptured expression. I took a breath to continue, but was rudely interrupted.

"HEY! You two need to hurry up! Breakfast is waiting, and so is your trek across the desert. Snap to it!" Navi yelled down the staircase. I rolled my eyes indulgently at Sheik before we quickly washed up. We climbed out of the water and dried off with the towels that were sitting on a bench.

"I'll tell you the rest of the story some other time," I promised as we rinsed out our clothes. I waved a hand and they instantly dried. At Sheik's questioning look, I grinned and said, "Trade secret." We dressed and hurried up the stairs.

"Finally," Navi muttered as we entered the main room. Nabooru sat, grinning in amusement, at a low table laden with breakfast.

"You two need to hurry. The sun's about to rise and the desert isn't getting any cooler." We knelt at the table and started breakfast. "Link, I have a cowl and some desert clothes for you to wear. The cowl will keep the sand out of your mouth and nose."

Sheik smirked. "I told you they come in handy in the desert."

I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Will you two please try to act like adults?" Navi asked, giving a long-suffering sigh.

"Ah, come on Navi," I said, giving her my best pout.

Navi stared at me for a moment before giving a huff of annoyance. "You know I can't resist that face," she said fondly, coming to rest on my shoulder. I smiled broadly, thanking the goddesses once again that I had my fairy companion back, even if she did interrupt things when they were just starting to get good…thinking of the incident this morning, I felt the heat creep up into my face. Risking a glance at Sheik, I caught his eye and noticed the blush that had stole over his cheeks. We both hastily looked away and continued with breakfast.

Nabooru drug me into another hidden-by-a-tapestry room as Sheik and Navi started down the stairs.

"Strip," she ordered, leaving no room for argument. I shot her a death-glare and removed my boots, tunic, chain mail, and tights, leaving me in just my under-shorts. She rummaged through a chest on the floor and came up with skin-tight black pants and a matching shirt. The shirt had a red-diamond pattern sewn down the long sleeves, and red thread had been sewn down each side of the pants. I struggled into the tight outfit.

"What am I now? A Sheikah?"

"Stop complaining, Link. That sand works its way into the most extraordinary of places. You'll be thanking me later." She tugged a dark blue tabard over my shoulders and secured it in place with bandages. I began to feel more and more like Sheik.

She expertly wrapped my forearms up to my fingers in the bandages. She threw me a pair of dark, close-fitting boots as she started on the black cowl and head bandages. By the time she was finished, I looked _exactly_ like a Sheikah. The only thing missing was the crest.

Nabooru stepped back. "Are you done making me look like an idiot?" I asked petulantly.

Nabooru took another step back and pursed her lips. "You look _really good_ in that actually. I'm going to have quite a time keeping the women off of you." She grinned wolfishly. "Now let's go."

I stuffed my other clothing into the pouch on my belt before securing is around my waist and slinging my sword and shield onto my back. Nabooru led the way down the endless flights of stairs and into the courtyard. Many of the women had assembled to see us off. Sheik stood with his back to me as he secured a saddlebag to Samar's saddle. Navi spotted me first.

At her shriek of surprise, Sheik whirled about to face me. His eyes grew big, the top part of his face turned red, and he choked on his words and immediately started coughing. Nabooru smirked at me as she passed to go pound Sheik on the back.

"You okay there, Sheik? You sound like you're dying. He does cut a rather impressive figure in those clothes…" Nabooru said slyly, her eyes raking over me again. I sincerely wished for my tunic. I yelped and spun as a hand slapped me on my backside.

"Ratal!" Nabooru called sharply. "Keep your hands to yourself!"

"Sorry, Lady Nabooru." She didn't sound sorry at all. "I couldn't resist. That fabric's _so_ tight and molded so nicely to his—"

"Ratal! That is quite enough!" Nabooru said, clearly fighting down an amused smirk. My face was now a fiery red. I muttered darkly as I strode over to Epona. Sheik had recovered from his fit of coughing and was doing his level best not to stare at me. Navi, to my further chagrin, was snickering at my predicament. I swung myself up onto Epona and looked pointedly at Sheik. He quickly mounted Samar.

I turned to Nabooru. "Thank you ever so much for your hospitality," I said icily. She smiled sweetly at me. "We should be back in less than a week. If you don't hear from us, you might want to send out a search party."

"Will do Link. You two have fun!" Sheik nodded to her and we turned the horses.

My dark comments about those "dirty, lustful, sexual desert _fiends_" filled the silence as we rode into the desert.

Author Note: Next chapter, the place of Ganondorf's birth! And perhaps some _other_ things... ;)


	9. The Heat of the Desert

Chapter 9 The Heat of the Desert

Thank you to all my reviewers: Hunter of Darkness, MyraHellsing, Are You Afraid of the Dark, Atsuko Uehara, bliss-full-dark-ness, cheesy lasagana, and Master Sapphire 69!

I apologize for the long delay! I have had people in my house nonstop for the last two weeks, I had to get all my summer assignments finished, etc, etc. Enjoy!

SPOV

An hour into the desert, and my fierce blush hadn't receded in the slightest. My mind had captured the image of Link standing there, clad so deliciously in skin-tight desert clothing, oh-so-perfectly. And just as the blush started to fade, that same traitorous mind pulled the picture to the forefront of my thoughts, and the blushing would start all over again.

When I had turned around and seen Link standing there, something seemed to explode in my head. I had wanted nothing more at that moment than to jump him. I had stopped breathing, which had brought on the incredibly embarrassing choking and coughing episode. Nabooru certainly hadn't helped matters, nor had any of those other lecherous desert women. Especially that Ratal woman, who had the audacity to actually _touch _Link on his—er, hmm…

Link hadn't said anything to me since we rode into the desert. I stole covert glances at his stiff back. The winds were bearable, but talking was still difficult. And I had the feeling Link wasn't in the mood for conversation anyway. Even Navi had refrained from talking, opting instead to sleep.

We rode in silence for another hour before coming to a crudely-built stone structure. Link slid off of Epona and led her to the covered water trough; I followed suit. He pulled the cowl down and splashed water on his face.

He sighed and looked up at me. "Despite all the trouble this damn outfit has caused, I will admit that it's much more practical than my tunic. I'm surprisingly sand-free." I raised an eyebrow and gave him a superior look. "Don't you dare say 'I told you so,'" he threatened.

"Or what?" I asked cheekily.

He growled playfully and splashed water into my face, causing me to sputter in surprise before returning the favor.

"Hey, hey! Watch it!" Navi grumbled. She shook her wings out and flew up to sit under the awning.

"Ah," Link sighed again, "that water feels good. How the hell do you manage to live out here? It's so _hot_."

"Well _duh_, it's the _desert_; of course it's going to be hot. But I don't live smack in the middle of the desert, on top of a sand dune. I live quite a ways to the east, on the outskirts. My home is actually rather similar to yours." I settled onto the sandy ground and leaned back against the wall. Link sat down next to me, his shoulder barely touching mine, and I continued. "Once the rest of my clan died out, when I was thirteen, I had no reason to stick around the area any more. I became a true nomad, wandering wherever the wind took me. I traversed just about every inch of Hyrule. I might even rival you in the knowledge of its secrets." The look Link gave me dripped with skepticism. I grinned at his expression. "Or not. Anyway, I found this cave one day. Er, well, I guess you could call it a cave. There was an opening in the rocks at ground level, about three feet across and two feet high. Being the extremely curious person that I am, I crawled into the opening and dropped down, only to find myself in a circular room, roughly the size of Nabooru's quarters. It was perfect. I built a stone fire pit, added some torches, redirected the smoke outside, built furniture, and there you go. I had a place to call home. With it being underground, it is kept well insulated. It stays a constant temperature, whether it is the middle of the day or the middle of the night."

"Hmm. Sounds kind of lonely," Link said lazily.

"You're one to talk, Mr. My-house-is-hidden-by-the-cliffs-and-sixty-feet-in-the-air." Link chuckled quietly. We sat in companionable silence for several more minutes, making no effort to get back out in the blazing sun.

"So what did you do all these years, besides wander around and run errands for Zelda?" he asked me.

I shifted into a more comfortable position. "Did you ever meet Sharp and Flat, the Royal Composer Brothers?"

Link grimaced and rubbed his side. "Did I ever. Their ghosts did quite a number on me when I tried to read their tombstones."

"Heh, yeah, they were always very protective of their work. But I'm talking about now, in this timeline." Link shook his head. "Roughly seven years ago, I went to the castle at Princess Zelda's behest. It was one of my first journeys to the castle after being returned to this time. I couldn't sleep…I kept remembering how the castle was when Ganondorf took over. I expected Stalfos and ReDeads to be around every corner. So I went onto the roof and played my harp. My mother had gifted it to me at my birth. She always wanted me to be a musician, not a warrior. The Composer brothers found me, crying my eyes out, playing an old Sheikah ballad. They were impressed with my musical skills. I became their apprentice, of sorts. They taught me all of their songs and in return, I promised to pass their songs on to worthy people who would use them for good. They died again just a few years back."

"I thought they had just the one song, the Sun's Song?"

"Oh no, they easily had hundreds."

Link huffed indignantly. "Well, they only taught me the one."

"Well, you did attack them."

"They attacked me first!"

I suppressed a grin and shrugged. "I guess they didn't like you."

Link sniffed disdainfully. "Their loss."

"You two need to get moving if you want to get to the Colossus by nightfall," Navi said, fluttering down from her perch.

I rose and offered my hand to Link. He grasped my proffered hand and I hauled him to his feet. After re-filling our canteens and adjusting our cowls, we mounted and went on our way.

Link was in a much better mood as we made our way through the second half of our journey. At his request, I hummed the tunes to several of the Composer Brother's songs. He picked them up effortlessly, giving evidence to his own impressive musical prowess.

"I always find it amazing that the Desert Colossus seems so far away until you're right on top of it," Link commented as we passed the final mile-marker. The sun was steadily sinking towards the horizon, casting long shadows and bathing everything in a soft golden glow. I looked around and sighed.

Link noticed my sigh. "I suppose the desert does have a beauty all its own. However, it's still hot."

My reply was lost as a terrifying shriek pierced the air and the sand in front of the horses exploded fifty feet into the air.

"Link! Get back!" I yelled, spinning Samar and spurring him into a gallop. The wind began roaring around us, kicking up the sand, drastically reducing our visibility.

"Sheik!" came Link's voice somewhere to my left. I turned Samar towards the voice. A moment later, I caught sight of Epona's flaxen tail.

"What was that?" I shouted into the wind.

"I don't know! I can't see a blasted thing!" he yelled.

We galloped a short distance, and then…it stopped. The wind died down and the sand settled back onto the ground. Link and I pulled the horses up and sat silently, looking around cautiously.

"There!" Link shouted, pointing to his right. The sand rippled as something made its way towards us—quickly. "Take the left!" he shouted, wheeling Epona off to the right. The sand exploded again and everything seemed to slow down as I saw what appeared.

A pair of jet-black pincers rose from the sand, followed by a heavily-armored body, easily thirty feet in length. I saw each tail segment emerge from the sand, each one thick and strong. The huge arthropod's stinger came last, curved and lethal. I choked back a horrified cry at the gigantic scorpion in front of me.

Things sped up again. I pulled my bow out and strung an arrow in one motion.

Navi landed on my shoulder and hastily gave me instructions. "The scorpion's head, underbelly, and the joint below his stinger are weak points. Aim for those spots. Be very careful: his venom can be projected, and it's extremely fast-acting." I nodded once and she flew off. The scorpion was concentrating on Link, so I aimed for the tail and released. The arrow struck true. With a cry of rage, the scorpion spun around, almost too quick for my eyes to keep up. I nocked another arrow and let is fly as Link landed another shot on its tail. The arrow bounced off of the thick armor covering his head. I circled around the beast. The scorpion arched its tail and shot a stream of venom directly at Link. The smell was absolutely terrible.

"Watch out Link!" I shouted as Samar lunged and shoved Epona out of the line-of-fire. I felt the venom graze my shoulder. I mentally thanked Zelda for the protective clothing. I circled back around the beast to the opposite side. When the scorpion turned its attention to Link to let loose more poison, a thought struck me.

"Distract him!" I shouted. I didn't wait to see if Link got the message as I hastily slung my bow onto my back and pulled out the whip. "Come on, Samar," I said. He surged forward towards the beast's tail. I whirled the whip over my head, once, twice. On the third swing, I snapped it at the beast's tail. It wrapped securely around the last joint. I focused my energy and the needles erupted, effectively ripping through the fine ligaments. The stinger fell to the ground with a muted thump. Blood and venom gushed out of the remaining bit of his tail. The scorpion gave an ear-shattering roar as it spun around. Although the stinger was gone, there was the hefty matter of two rather menacing pincers. Samar put on another burst of speed to avoid the beast's grasp. The pincers closed right behind us with a loud metallic clang. As Link shot more arrows into the tail, distracting it once again, I brought Samar back around and pulled out my bow.

I studied the creatures head as I came closer. I was looking for—ah! There it was! I detected a circular shadow slightly above his left eye.

"Link! Aim a few inches above his left eye!" I called, letting the arrow fly. It embedded itself deep in the shadow. The creature let loose a cry of pain. As the scorpion swayed unsteadily, I fired another arrow as Link galloped around and added two of his own, one of which he powered with Light. The beast staggered under the weight of the arrows and crashed to the ground. In a flurry of movement, Link vaulted off of Epona's back, withdrew his sword, and plunged it deep into the scorpion's heart. He jumped back as it convulsed violently before lying quite still. We stared at it in horrified silence.

Link turned back to me, his breathing labored. "What the _fuck_ was that?"

I sucked in deep breaths of air. "I have no idea."

Link cleaned his blade and sheathed it. I dismounted and checked Samar and Epona for any injuries.

"Are you okay?" Link asked as he came up behind me.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I answered.

"How did you know to aim above his eye?" Link questioned, his breathing returning to normal.

"There was a gap in its skull, and it gave off a darker shadow. I had to really look for it."

"It was brilliant. And that was some fancy work you did with its tail," he added, mounting Epona.

"Thanks. I couldn't have done it if you hadn't done such a fine job of distracting it," I said.

Link grinned. "One of my many talents…distracting the enemy. There was this one time—Sheik, are you okay?"

I couldn't answer as the ground heaved before me and I pitched forward as everything around me went black.

LPOV

It took a moment to comprehend what was happening as I watched Sheik tumble onto the ground.

"Sheik!" I yelled, jumping off of Epona and running towards the fallen Sheikah. Navi flew past me and fluttered around his prone body.

I knelt by his side. Grasping his shoulders, I shifted him into an upright position. His face was white as a sheet. I felt his pulse. It was weak and thready. I looked at Navi, my questions obvious. "It's his shoulder, Link. The venom grazed his shoulder and ate threw the material of his suit," she explained hastily as I yanked a bottled fairy out of my pouch and released it. The sprite flew around the wound. It looked terrible. The venom had eaten down to the muscle and the skin was a nasty green color around the edges. Pus had gathered at the site.

"It's not helping!" I cried desperately as the sprite disappeared, the wound unchanged. "Navi!"

"Give him a blue potion, and let's take him to the Great Fairy. The venom is spreading."

I pulled out the potion and tipped it down his throat. "Epona!" I called, as I massaged Sheik's throat, causing him to swallow. I stowed the bottles and lifted Sheik gently onto her back before springing up behind him. I held him tightly. "Samar!" I yelled sharply as I spun Epona towards the Colossus. The stallion neighed and matched Epona stride for stride as we raced towards the Fairy's Fountain.

Sheik remained limp in my arms, his face deathly pale. "Hold on, Sheik. We're almost there," I murmured in his ear. I urged Epona to go faster still. She carried us swiftly into the Colossus proper and over to the Fairy's Fountain. I leapt off Epona and scooped Sheik into my arms, cradling him against my chest. His chest fluttered sporadically, like that of a weak bird. I ran full speed into the room and skidded to a stop at the foot of the steps.

"Neptune!" I shouted, lowering Sheik onto the tile. "Neptune, it's me, Link! I need help!"

I waited for an immeasurable moment before I dug the ocarina out of my pack. I put the instrument to my lips and drew in a breath to play when a screech of laughter issued forth from the center of the fountain.

Neptune emerged, in all her scandalously-clad glory, and I had never been so happy to see her as I was at that moment.

"Whatever is the matter, dear child?" she asked kindly.

"It's Sheik, he's been hit with deadly poison," I explained, showing her the wound. She cringed at the sight of it. "A little fairy and a blue potion had no effect. Please, _please_, can you help him?" I cried desperately.

She frowned thoughtfully and placed her hand over the wound. "I can heal the wound, and extract some of the poison, but there is some that is already in his system. It has to run its course. He's going to be very ill over the next twelve hours, but I think he shall survive. Your Sheikah is made of sterner stuff."

I nodded my head, too choked to speak. Neptune closed her eyes in concentration and placed both hands over the wound. Light poured out of her hands and soaked into the infected area. I watched in morbid fascination as the nasty green color disappeared and the flesh slowly knit itself back together. As the poison left his body, Sheik's breathing eased, but his face remained tensed in pain.

I left Navi to explain to Neptune in depth about all that had happened as I went back out into the desert. I un-tacked the horses and rubbed them down, letting them wander where they would. I filled two bottles with fresh spring water and gathered our sleeping rolls before returning to the Fountain.

I entered the Fountain to find Navi fluttering anxiously around Sheik's convulsing figure, while Neptune looked on with an expression of helplessness.

I rushed over. "Is he alright?" I asked Neptune worriedly.

She smiled sadly. "He is fine, dear one, but like I said, he is going to be very ill tonight. Are you prepared to care for him?"

"Yes," I answered quietly. I spread the bedrolls out and placed Sheik carefully in the center. His agitated movements ceased for several minutes, allowing me to remove the constraining bandages, cowl, and skintight bodysuit, leaving him in his under-shorts. Neptune played a soothing tune on her harp as he began to toss and turn again.

His body burned a bright red and he soon became soaked in sweat. I bathed him with cool cloths to bring the temperature down. The sweating ceased, only to be replaced by violent shivering that rattled his whole frame. I covered him with blankets until he began to sweat again. And on it went.

His pallor dimmed and his limbs swelled. He tossed and moaned. It was nigh unbearable to watch him like that. I felt tears prick my eyes more than once, but blinked them away harshly, lest they blur my vision and impede Sheik's care.

I spoke to him throughout the night. "You'll be alright, Sheik," I whispered in his ear. "I'm never going to let harm come to you again. I'll make sure you're safe. I can't bear to see you hurt. I can't bear to see you in pain."

Not long after midnight, the screaming and hallucinations started. After many minutes, he thrashed around and jerked upright. His eyes were open, but he wasn't seeing anything in front of him. The goddesses only know what untold terrors were before his eyes.

I kneeled before him. "Sheik." He flinched as if scalded, but did not wake. As his throat worked and another scream rose, I placed my hand on his arm and gently shook him. I blinked and he was gone, on the far side of the bedroll, eyes wide and a six-inch blade like a sudden miracle in his hand. I put my hands out in front of me and spoke very calmly.

"You're having a nightmare, Sheik."

"Link," he said back to me, in a half-strangled voice.

"Yes," I answered carefully. Sheik focused and lowered the knife.

"I'm going to be sick," he stated. I plucked the knife from his unresisting grasp and held a basin for him. I stroked his head soothingly as he emptied the contents of his stomach. When he finished, he collapsed back onto the bed, weary and shaking. Neptune waved away the mess while I gently wiped his face with a cool, clean cloth and made him drink some water.

He fell quickly back into a restless sleep. His fever returned, and spiked at nearly three in the morning. His body burned; the cooling water I bathed him with all but sizzled when it touched his skin. The fever brought on more rounds of vomiting. Soon, he had nothing left to expel from his system. His breathing was shallow and labored.

"How much longer?" I asked wearily.

"It will not be long now," Neptune said in kind reassurance.

Sure enough, not too long after her words, Sheik's breathing deepened and evened out. His color came back and his temperature returned to normal. The furrow in his brow disappeared as he slipped into a healing dreamless sleep.

After my night-long vigil, my lids grew heavy and my eyes burned with fatigue. Despite my best efforts, I joined Sheik in slumber.

SPOV

I awoke to the soothing ethereal sounds of a harp. I opened my eyes cautiously, unsure of where I was, and tried to focus on my surroundings. My eyes could not penetrate the blackness of the ceiling. I tilted my head fractionally to the left. The walls shimmered with a glimmering veil of colorful magic. I registered the cool tile under my outflung arm. I tilted my head to the right and sucked in a startled breath. The resident Great Fairy floated an inch away from my face.

She smiled pleasantly. "I see you are awake, my young Sheikah. My name is Neptune, and I am the Great Fairy of Wisdom. How do you feel?"

I took stock of my being. "Like I got ran over by a herd of stampeding Dodongos. Otherwise, I'm good. Er, what happened?"

The smile faded. "You were hit with deadly scorpion poison. It ate through the armor on your suit and ate away the flesh on your shoulder. The poison got into your bloodstream. Link gave you a fairy and a blue potion, but the poison had already gotten a strong foothold in your system. He brought you to me, and I was able to extract some of the poison and heal the wound, but the venom already in your system had to run its course. You were very ill. Link took care of you all night," she said, gesturing to my side. I turned and looked down. Link laid there, fast asleep, head cradled on his arms. My mouth curved upwards into a small smile. I reached out tentatively and brushed the hair back from his forehead. "Your boy there was very worried about you," Neptune added.

The heat crept up into my face. "He isn't my boy."

"Well, he certainly isn't mine, so he must be yours," she said logically. I shook my head and smiled.

"Oh! You're up!" Navi chattered excitedly as she entered the room.

"Hey Navi," I said softly. She landed on my outstretched palm. "Thank you for looking over me."

"It was nothing, Sheik. Link did most all of the work."

"Still, I thank you." Navi nodded and flew up to speak with Neptune. I looked back down at Link. Dark shadows ringed his eyes.

I sighed softly. "Thank you, Link." I stood and gathered my clothes.

"Should you be up?" Navi asked worriedly.

"I'm alright. I'm just going to run over to the spring and get cleaned up."

"Be careful!" The Great Fairy admonished. "I repaired and cleaned your suit for you, too. That's quite a fancy bit of clothing you have there. A good deal of magic was put into it."

"Thanks. Zelda made it for me."

"Impressive. She always has been so very talented." With that, Neptune waved me out of the room.

I walked through the tunnel and into the not-quite-but-just-about-scorching heat of mid morning. As I started my trek across the enclosure, several leevers swirled out of the sand. I sidestepped them as they whirled towards me. They were much easier to dodge than they were to kill. I stopped short when I realized that leevers hadn't been around since Ganondorf's time. I shook my head angrily and resolved to return Hyrule to its former state.

I eased into the fresh, cool water and swam several laps to release some of the soreness in my muscles. I scrubbed the grit off of my skin and rinsed out my hair, as well as my mouth. I could detect the telltale aftertaste of vomit in my mouth. I grimaced in embarrassment when I remembered that Link had seen me in such a deplorable state. Once I was clean, I took a moment to float on my back in the middle of the pool, and stare at the cloudless sky.

I got out when my fingers started to wrinkle. I pulled on my garments and set about to working on the wraps. I finished with the arm bandages and started on the chest wraps when I looked up and noticed Link leaning against a boulder, not ten feet away, watching me with a grim expression on his face.

We stared at each other for the space of several heartbeats before I broke the silence. "Thank you, Link, for taking care of me." He continued to stare at me in silence. "Er…I apologize for being so careless, I will be much more careful the next time we—" Link cut me off with a downward slash of his hand.

"There won't _be_ a next time, Sheik. I don't have time to baby-sit you. And I certainly don't have time to nurse you every time you get hurt," he said angrily.

I rocked back as if he had slapped me. I was immediately on the defensive. "It was an accident, Link! And I got the injury from saving your sorry ass!" I retorted.

"I never asked you to save me, Sheik. I don't need to be saved!"

"Din damn it Link, I'm not here to be your bloody savior! I'm here to try and help you. Why are you being so difficult?"

"This was a mistake. I work better alone. I don't want you here with me."

"What, you don't someone sharing in the limelight with you?" I questioned cynically.

"That has nothing to fucking do with it! I don't give a bloody fuck about _fame_!"

"Then what the _fuck _is your problem? I got hurt. _I'm sorry_. It won't happen again. Goddesses, we're not even behind schedule! I'm just trying to make your quest a little bit easier!"

"I never asked Zelda to send me a partner. I bet you begged for the job," he said mockingly. "Just go back to being a shadow in your little hole in the desert, Sheik. I don't need you. I'm the Hero of Time for a fucking reason. I don't need your help."

I looked at him in shocked silence, hurt sluicing through me. The fury and hurt warred for dominance. The fury won out.

I stalked towards him. "You think I asked for this?" I asked, my voice dangerous and low. "I never asked Zelda to send me out here. You don't want my help? Fine," I spit the word angrily. "If you want to go at this alone, you just go right ahead. Prove to the world that you're a big, tough hero who doesn't need anyone. I hope you enjoy it, you fucking _bastard_."

I brushed past. His hand shot out and wrapped around my wrist. I whirled around, but the angry words died in my throat as Link's mouth crashed against mine.

My eyes widened in shock, but quickly closed as I moaned deep in my throat. Link's tongue swept against my lower lip. I gasped, unintentionally opening up to him, and then his tongue was in my mouth, running over my own, searching, seeking. All thoughts flew from my head. He pushed me up against the rock and leaned into me as he deepened the kiss. I began to respond, twining my tongue with his. Link's muffled moan vibrated through into my mouth. He raised his hands and smoothed them along my jaw and down my neck and back up to twine in my hair. I ran my hands up and down his back. Our frantic kisses eased, and with a final brush of his lips, Link backed away slightly, his breathing as ragged as my own. He leaned his forehead against mine and I gazed into his blue eyes, darkened and glazed with desire.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I don't want you to go. I didn't mean any of it. I want you. I want you here with me. I was just so afraid when you were sick. I don't want to lose you."

I shook my head softly. "No need to apologize, Link. And I'm not going anywhere," I said, reaching up and pulling his head back down to mine.

Ten minutes later, we were still snogging heavily, one of Link's hands twisted in my hair, the other halfway up my shirt, my arms wrapped around his neck and one leg hooked around the back of his, when a stern voice interrupted us. "Ahem."

Link lifted his head and froze. I struggled to free myself, but Link didn't loosen his hold. I blushed and looked at the madly amused Nabooru standing with a not-amused-at-all Impa and a huffing sprite only a few feet away.

"I get word that Sheik is dangerously ill, and I rush out here to find you two ravaging the back of each other's throats! Obviously, you're not that sick, Sheik!" Nabooru laughed.

"I see you have recovered, Sheik," Impa said, her voice scathing. She turned her scorching gaze on Link. "Link, do kindly remove your hand from underneath Sheik's shirt. This is a temple, not a brothel."

Link dropped his arms and I stepped away, coughing nervously as I straightened my shirt and smoothed my hair.

"Shall we go into the temple and talk, boys? I have some new information for you."

We nodded and followed the Sages meekly into the temple.

LPOV

It took Impa's sharp slap across my face to finally get me to pay attention.

"Link! You have to concentrate!" Easy for her to say. She hadn't just had the best snog of her life with someone she'd been in love with for years. I had. My thoughts kept reverting to the sight of Sheik's desire-filled eyes, the feel of his lips moving with mine, the touch of his hands…

"Focus, Link!" Navi added her reprimand.

I dragged my thoughts away from the fresh memory of making out with Sheik and focused on Impa.

"Finally. We have new information for you. Do you remember how Koume and Kotake disappeared when Zelda returned things to normal?" I nodded. "We presumed them to be dead. Apparently, they're not. One of our spies overheard a man talking in a pub about a woman who had bought a mask from the salesman who claimed to have got the mask from a pair of Gerudo witches from another world, a world I believe you've visited."

"Whoa, whoa, wait a second. Yes, I met a pair of witches in Termina that had the same name as the witches that lived here. But they couldn't have been the same people. Okay, I know this sounds weird, but there were a lot of people there who have identical counterparts here." At their confused expressions, I groaned. "I know it doesn't make sense, but that's how it was."

Impa shook her head. "You don't know for sure. These witches, what did they do?"

"One ran a guided boat tour, and the other ran a potion shop."

"It fits though!" Nabooru exclaimed excitedly. "Kotake loved potions, and Koume loved the water! Listen, I know they possessed the power to brainwash and they did evil things, but they didn't actually become evil until Ganondorf started influencing them! My mother used to tell me stories about how they would play with her when she was a child. Originally, they were friendly, good old women. With Ganondorf's presence removed, they must have left this world to go to one where they could live in peace.

I looked at Sheik. "It's a possibility," he said.

"It does kind of make sense…and if they are in fact the real Koume and Kotake, then we can just talk to them about Ganondorf's childhood. I mean, they _did _raise him. And also, we wouldn't have to ride out into the middle of nowhere to look for a place that, for all extents and purposes, doesn't exist. What will we do with the horses?" I asked suddenly.

"We'll take care of them, don't worry. How about you and Sheik head to Termina? If you use your songs, you can get there and back by nightfall. We'll wait for you at the castle. I don't really want you two heading off to another world at the moment, but it's rather vital that we figure this mystery out. Monsters have been popping up all over Hyrule. Big ones, like the Giant Scorpion, and little ones, like the leevers and stalchildren," Impa said.

I spoke up. "What if this ends up being a dead end? And I'm not just referring to the Rova sisters mission. I mean, the whole tracing-Ganondorf's-roots thing. Shouldn't we be researching other leads too?"

"Link, Link. Did you think that we Sages were just sitting back and watching you search? We've been following countless other leads this whole time. We sent you and Sheik on the one that seems most likely. Don't worry, we have plenty of irons in the fire," Nabooru answered.

Impa clapped her hands together. "Well then. I suppose that's that. Link, Sheik, I think you had best get moving. Keep us updated. Link, you can do that through Saria. The Sages will all be present at the castle."

"Okay. We'll just get our things and be going then, I guess," I said, standing. I held my hand out to Sheik. He grasped my hand and I pulled him to his feet. The memory of kissing him slammed back into my mind. A dark blush overspread my face, and his too, as his thoughts presumably went in the same direction. We stood, hands clasped, staring into each other's eyes.

Impa looked between us in fond disgust. "Navi, keep these two on track. They have to keep their head in the game. Just think: the sooner you two get back from Termina, the sooner you two can partake in other activities tonight," she added slyly.

Sheik and I sputtered in embarrassment as we hastily let go of each other's hands. Impa laughed and grabbed Nabooru by the wrist and Navi by a wing, and dragged both of them back out into the sunlight.

I turned back to Sheik. His features were hard to make out in the dusky interior. We stared silently at each other for a moment before Sheik stepped forward and placed his small hand on my chest as he looked up into my face.

"Ready for another adventure?" I asked him softly, raising my hand to rest against his cheek. He turned his head and pressed a gentle kiss into my palm.

"Absolutely. I promise to be more careful."

"And I shall do the same." I lowered my head and pressed my lips gently against his. He sighed softly and parted his lips, allowing me access. As soon as our tongues met, the kiss became a good deal more intense.

Using your tongue to kiss someone, I decided, was a fantastic thing.

"HEY! You two have work to do!" Navi shouted from the doorway. I broke the kiss and grinned at Sheik.

"It's going to be difficult finding some alone time, isn't it?"

"Nigh impossible," Sheik agreed.

Several minutes later, after gathering our belongings from the Fountain, bidding Neptune good-bye, and checking on the horses one last time, we stood in front of Impa and Nabooru for our final instructions.

"Okay, get there, find them, get whatever information you can, come home. We'll be waiting for you. Don't forget to keep us updated!" Impa said.

I rolled my eyes. "Impa, when have I EVER kept you updated?"

She gave a long-suffering sigh. "True. Navi?" she questioned, turning to the sprite.

"I will keep you posted, Impa. _And_ I'll keep these two in line." She added, cuffing us on the back of the head.

"Best of luck to you kids. We'll see you tonight," Nabooru smirked.

Sheik and I rolled our eyes at her implication. "Ready?" I asked, raising the ocarina to my lips.

"Lead the way."

Nabooru and Impa looked on as the last notes of the Minuet of Forest faded and the two boys along with a forest sprite disappeared in a flash of green light.

Author Note: Well, I hope you enjoyed the "other things!" Next chapter, there will be actual plot development, not to mention more Link and Sheik yummy-ness! I had to split this chapter and the next. It was just too much at once. So, that means that chapter 10 should be up before Monday!

On a side note, I named the Great Fairy Neptune because Neptune is blue, and Nayru's color is blue. Why the name of a planet, you ask? Well, apparently, the Queen of the Fairies in the Zelda series is named Venus. So, since Venus is also a planet, I figured Neptune would be appropriate.


	10. A Witch's Words of Wisdom

Chapter 10 A Witch's Words of Wisdom

Thank you to all of my reviewers: Hunter of Darkness, Ryukai-MJ, Atsuko Uehara, lauren, cheesy lasagana, and Master Sapphire 69!

Author Note: Sorry for the slight delay. The new term started, and things were a little bit crazier than I expected!

**Warning! **From this point on in the story, the relationship between Sheik and Link will be much more amative. Please remember that this _is _a mature story. If you feel uncomfortable reading…er, shall we say _intimate encounters_ between boys, then please, don't read it!

For the rest of you, enjoy!!

SPOV

The music carried us on a whisper of wind across the land of Hyrule. Moments later, we landed softly on the stone plinth in the Sacred Forest Meadow.

Link rotated his arms, loosening his shoulders, and looked around. "This place looks the same," he remarked. "I don't see any sign of a giant deadly enemy."

"Don't jinx it, you twit," I scolded.

Navi flew around Link's head. "There very well could be an enemy here by the time you get back. There's no telling when those monsters will pop up. Wake me when we get to Termina," she said, flying under my cowl to resume her sleep.

"She sure does sleep a lot," I commented.

Link grinned at me. "Yeah she does. But she's awake at the crucial moments, and that's what matters. There's a fairy's fountain in the middle of the maze. I need to grab a few more fairies before we continue."

I followed Link down the stairs, up a ladder, down another, and into a suspicious-looking hole in the ground. We dropped down into a cavern and I glanced around. "This place hasn't changed at all."

"You knew it was here?" Link asked, some surprise in his voice.

"Of course. Zelda came here whenever she visited the Forest Temple. And I told you that I know the land of Hyrule like the back of my hand," I added condescendingly.

"The back of your hand is covered in bandages," Link pointed out.

I huffed in fond annoyance. "Shut up, Link."

While Link filled several of his bottles with fairies, I pulled a small glass vial from my chest bandages and coaxed a fairy into it.

I looked up to see Link staring at me incredulously. "I'm not even going to ask where that bottle came from," he said.

I smirked at him. "Smart idea." A couple fairies swirled about us, relieving the lingering aches and pains from the desert.

We made our way back to the surface. "So, which way from here?" I questioned.

"It's impossible to explain directions in the _Lost Woods_. Just follow me." He set off at a brisk jog and I fell into step beside him. He loped along effortlessly, his breathing unchanged.

"I never really liked the Lost Woods," I said conversationally, as we exited the Sacred Forest maze and entered the much more complex maze that comprised the Lost Woods.

"Really? I loved it as a kid. It was a challenge, going as deep as I could into the Woods, then trying to find my way back out again."

I shook my head. "Um, no thank you. Not for me. Weren't you ever afraid of becoming a skull kid?"

"Heck no. I made friends with them. Remember I told you about the Skull Kid that got in trouble in Termina? He's originally from these woods. In fact," he said, pausing to pull out his ocarina. "He might be around."

Before I could protest, Link raised the instrument to his lips and played the lively tune I recognized as the song Saria was constantly humming. At the completion of the song, a creepy giggle filled the silence and the Skull Kid dropped out of presumably thin air. I shuddered and moved to stand behind Link.

"Hey!" Link greeted him enthusiastically. "I haven't seen you in ages!"

"You're never around the woods anymore, and you hardly ever visit Termina," the faceless imp pouted.

"Well, actually, I'm on my way there now. Me and Sheik here are on another mission." Link turned to the side to gesture to me. He frowned at the empty space beside him and turned fully around. "Come meet the Skull Kid, Sheik. Be friendly."

I stepped around Link and bowed my head, declining to offer my hand. "Sheik, of the Sheikah."

The imp tilted his head to the side and studied me...or I assume he was studying me. It's difficult to tell when they don't have a face. I repressed another shudder as I gazed unflinchingly back.

He giggled again. "It's a pleasure, Sheiky. Sheiky, Sheiky!" he continued in a sing-song voice. My eye twitched in irritation. I reached behind me and smacked Link on the head at his poorly suppressed chuckle.

Link moved to stand beside me, still chuckling. "Although I remember how to get to Termina, do you think you could lead us? You know these woods better than anyone else."

"Sure thing," he answered before scampering off. Link and I exchanged a glance before running to catch up.

"This doesn't make any sense," I said to Link. "I thought Skull Kids were supposed to be lost forever, resigned to always wander the forest. Him knowing the woods better than everyone else, and being able to travel to another world, is a conundrum."

Link's brow furrowed as he thought about it. "You have a point. Ah well. Things in this world hardly ever make sense."

The next clearing we entered housed a large solitary tree. Two fairies, one a cream-ish color, the other a vibrant purple, hovered around its branches.

"Tatl, Tael, look who I found!" the Skull Kid sang, dancing up to the tree.

"Link!" the cream one yelled. She zoomed towards him, only to collide with the glowing white orb that emerged from my cowl.

The cream fairy ("Tatl," Link supplied to me) flew back a few paces and stared at Navi, who floated in midair, staring right back, tiny hands on her tiny hips.

"Navi, allow me to introduce Tatl, my partner in crime while I was in Termina," Link said, eyeing the two fairies.

"Tatl," Navi said shortly.

"Navi," she replied coldly. "So you're the fairy that abandoned Link as a child."

Navi visibly bristled. "I did not _abandon _Link. I had to leave. But I'm here now. _To stay_."

"Humph," Tatl answered. "We'll see about that."

"Why you—" Navi started.

"Please, Navi, Tatl. It's okay. Tatl, Navi had to leave me. I wasn't a Kokiri. It was the rule," Link said, shrugging.

The purple fairy flew in between the two fairies. "Link, it's good to see you again."

"You too, Tael. How've things been since I saw you guys like a week ago?"

"Good. Quiet. Why are you going to Termina?"

"Speaking of Termina, Link, we need to be on the way," Navi said, still floating stiffly in front of Link.

"You can talk on the way," I offered. The Skull Kid twirled off and we continued our journey.

"By the way, Tatl, Tael, this is my friend Sheik. He's helping me out on my journey."

I exchanged pleasantries with the fairies then tuned them out. The talk centered on people whom I didn't know in Termina. Soon, Navi came to rest on my shoulder.

"You have great stamina, to keep up with Link," she complimented.

"I am a Sheikah," I said dryly. "I do possess some physical attributes."

"I suppose so. I guess I just see you as a musician, not a fighter."

"My mother would be singing with joy at that comment. She never wanted me to be a warrior. She wanted so much a peaceful life for me. I must say, it's been anything but. Well, except for the last few years."

"Yes, nothing stays peaceful when you get involved with Link."

We lapsed into silence as I continued jogging slightly behind Link. The forest was darker, the trees forming a thick canopy overhead. I had given up trying to keep track of our turns about a hundred turns ago. I guess it was called the Lost Woods for a reason.

"Here we are," Link announced some thirty minutes later. I looked up and noted the sun's position in the sky. We had made good time; I judged it to be around noon.

We stood at the entrance to a large rectangular clearing.

"Are you going any further?" Link addressed the imp.

"No, we have games to play and pranks to pull," he answered in that same sing-song voice.

"Well then, I'll see you later. But a word of caution: things have been heating up in Hyrule. Might I suggest you stay in Termina for the next few weeks? It would be safest."

"Hmm, perhaps," he replied. With a last wave and giggle, he disappeared in a flurry of motion. The fairies said their goodbyes and swirled away.

Link rounded on Navi and I. "Well, you two were prodigiously rude."

I held my hands out in front of me. "You guys talked about people I've never met and places I've never been the whole time. I would have been just awkwardly intruding in the conversation."

He dismissed me with a disdainful sniff and turned to Navi with an arched brow. "Navi?"

"Tatl was confrontational," she answered defensively. "I didn't feel comfortable in her presence."

"Hah! Confrontational? I think you take the prize for that one! And I don't think you've ever been _uncomfortable_ with anyone." His annoyed expression slipped and he grinned. "Ah well. Shall we be going? If we hurry, we'll be back before dinner." He waved his arm at the meadow. "This is a limbo between the worlds…kind of. The magic songs don't work here. Let's get moving."

We spent the next few minutes traveling through a series of strange rooms. They all retained an air of the Lost Woods, but as we went on, the atmosphere became different. Although I could not pinpoint the exact moment, I knew we had entered Termina.

LPOV

The blazing sunshine momentarily blinded Sheik and I as we stepped into the busy plaza of Southern Clock Town. The tumult in the town was overwhelming: people rushing about, sellers hawking their wares, builders sawing away at a construction site, animals running around.

"Goddesses, it's worse than Market Town!" Sheik said incredulously, staring around wide-eyed. Navi seemed to agree as she quickly dove back into Sheik's cowl.

"Ah, but the energy is infectious."

"More like overwhelming."

I grinned and grabbed his hand, pulling him through the crowd. Several people stopped and gawked unabashedly at Sheik and I. I belatedly realized that I still wore my desert/Sheikah garb, and that the people here had never seen (or even heard of) the Sheikah.

Sheik scowled fiercely when a clear catcall echoed through the crowd. My face flushed a deep crimson when I remembered the reaction my outfit got from the Gerudos. I pulled Sheik along quickly, heading for the Southern Swamp exit, when a familiar voice broke through the noise.

"Link! Link is that you?"

I hid my grimace as I turned only a mere two feet from the exit. "Anju, how lovely to see you again so soon."

"Why on earth are you dressed like that?" she asked, her eyes raking over me.

"It's a rather long story that unfortunately I have not the time for at the moment."

"Well, at least introduce me to your friend before you go rushing off!"

"Anju, Sheik, of the Sheikah. Sheik, Anju, an innkeeper here in Termina, and one of the best cooks around." I noticed the crowd had grown substantially larger: virtually everyone in the plaza had stopped and was blatantly listening to our conversation.

"Can you make it for dinner tonight Link?"

"I'm terribly sorry, Anju, but we are _really _pressed for time. Perhaps another day?"

"Yes, I suppose that will have to do."

"Okay then. Give Kafei my regards. We will—AH!" I yelled, spinning around as a hand landed sharply on my backside.

"Hey Link," Cremia said cheekily, winking at me. Sheik sucked in a surprised breath at the sight of a Malon look-alike. I glared daggers at the grinning rancher. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. You have the most perfect arse I've ever seen."

"Wah—Cremia! That is entirely inappropriate!" I yelled, outraged.

Her grin remained unrepentant. Sheik sported the same outraged expression I had. Cremia looked at him, our clasped hands, him again, then me.

"Aha, so the great Hero finally found someone, did he? A shame you're into men. I always hoped you and I might…" she trailed off suggestively.

Positive my face could not possibly get any redder, I gave her a waspish goodbye before hauling Sheik through the exit and into the field beyond.

"Din damn it! What is it with women and my arse?"

Sheik choked and his face warmed again. "It's not just women."

I looked at him for a moment, at a loss, before comprehension dawned. My smile turned seductive as I stalked toward him. "You like it, too?"

Sheik swallowed and stepped back. "Very much."

"You happen to be in possession of a fine arse yourself." I continued as I stepped closer to him.

He grinned nervously and backed up another step, right into the wall of the city. "Really?"

"Oh yes," I said, crossing the final space between us. I placed one hand on the wall above his head and with the other I swiftly yanked down his cowl. I leaned down and pressed my lips against his.

Goddesses, it seemed an eternity since I kissed him last. I could not suppress the moan of longing that rose from my throat as his tongue skillfully darted into my mouth. His hands slithered down my sides and wrapped around my back as I pulled him flush against my body, prompting a throaty groan from him. His hands slipped lower and squeezed the bit of anatomy he had been praising moments before. I ground my body against Sheik's, reveling in the growing familiarity of being pressed together. My arousal grew stronger with every second as Sheik continued his assault on my mouth. I shifted one hand to his hair, tilting his head back, and my mouth fell to the crook between Sheik's neck and shoulders. I ran my tongue over the skin there, tasting the slight saltiness of it from the sweat that was building up. Sheik squeezed his eyes shut even tighter and let out another moan as I sucked lightly on the skin.

The sound went straight to my groin and I returned my mouth to his. I knew the vigorous kiss would leave bruises on both our lips, but Sheik didn't seem to mind. He returned the kiss with just as much fervor.

A sudden frantic rustling in Sheik's cowl made us break apart abruptly. Navi emerged, tousled and furious, from the tangled folds of Sheik's cowl.

"You two…(deep breath)…almost…(more deep breaths)…SUFFOCATED ME!!" she screamed.

"Er, sorry Navi," I said sheepishly, glancing at Sheik. He had one hand raised to his neck and was rubbing the reddened skin there.

"Sorry bout that," I murmured.

He shook his head. "It's okay. I didn't mind," he said, grinning deviously.

"HEY! Pay attention! I was almost killed!" she cried.

"Oh come on, Navi, you weren't almost killed."

"You do not know that! Now you two had better get back on track, or I am going to make sure that you are in different rooms tonight!" she threatened.

I couldn't help the laughter that burst out at her threat.

But on second thought, I considered her warning, and immediately shut up.

"That's better. Now where to, Link?" she asked.

"We can play the music from here." I pulled out my ocarina as Sheik pulled out his harp. I quickly ran through the mechanics of the song with him.

"Just concentrate very hard on the Southern Swamp," I instructed. I raised the ocarina to my lips and Sheik lifted his harp into position. As we played the Song of Soaring, I felt the familiar tugging and spinning that accompanied the song. It wasn't exactly comfortable to travel that way, but so much quicker. White feathers surrounded Sheik and I and we zipped upwards.

Seconds later, we spun back onto solid ground as the feathers dissipated around us. I slapped at a mosquito and wiped the sweat that immediately sprung up on my forehead.

"Ugh. I forgot how terribly disgusting the weather is here," I said.

The suit that had been oh-so-practical in the desert was now suffocatingly hot. I swiftly un-wrapped the cowl and stuffed it into my pouch. Sheik merely wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked around in open curiosity.

"How strange. I've never seen a swamp before."

"It's not that great," I said, starting for the potion shop. He fell into step beside me.

"I find the difference in geography quite fascinating, though. Just think about all the secrets this land must hold."

"I never really took the time to discover them all," I mused. "Whenever we find some free time, let's do some exploring. Shall we?"

"Most definitely," he answered.

"This weather," Navi panted, "is _impossible_."

"Would you like to take shelter in my cowl, Navi?" Sheik asked.

She eyed him warily. "As long as you two don't try to smother me again."

Sheik's eyes sparked with amusement. "We won't."

"Alright then," she said as she zipped back into his cowl.

We crossed the floating bridge that led to the potion shop. I gestured for Sheik to precede me up the ladder. I had a nice unobstructed view of his backside as he climbed.

He spoke without turning. "Surely you are not ogling my rear end, dear Link."

"Wouldn't dream of it, dear Sheik," I answered sweetly. He snorted in disbelief and amusement. Once on the landing, I took the lead and passed into the dim interior of the potion shop.

"Kotake? Are you here?" I spoke into the semi-darkness.

"Yes?" a craggy voice answered. "Who is it? What do you want?"

We advanced several steps into the room. Kotake emerged from behind a pile of extremely large and dusty tomes. "My name is Link. I don't know if you remember me, but I came here several years ago. I saved your sister in the forest."

"Oh, oh! I remember now. Yes, yes, you were the little boy. My, my. How your voice has changed. My eyesight is not what it used to be, but you sound like you have grown. You are not alone," she stated.

"No, I came with my friend." I studied the woman carefully for her reaction. "His name is Sheik, of the Sheikah."

Her face blanched and she peered closer at us with her filmy eyes. "A Sheikah, you say? I have never heard of such a people in Termina."

"Well, we're not from Termina. We're from Hyrule."

She absolutely started this time and stood abruptly. "What is it that you have come for?" she asked nervously.

"Kotake, we just need to ask you some questions to which I believe only you have the answers," Sheik said gently.

"I do not know anything. I cannot help you," she said hurriedly, bustling into the back of the shop.

"Wait!" I called. "Please." She paused and turned her head back toward me. "Hyrule is in trouble right now. We're searching for information. Information that, quite possibly, no one has in this world has, except you and your sister."

Sheik and I stood anxiously as she deliberated. "Alright then," she answered slowly. "Let me get Koume in here, and then we can talk."

I heaved a sigh of relief that they were at least going to cooperate. She offered us seats as she went to contact Koume.

"Do you think she knows something?" Sheik whispered.

I nodded my head. "Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so affected by just the name of Hyrule."

"Link," Navi said, "I'm going to stay out of sight in Sheik's cowl. But I'll be listening to every word," she promised.

We sat in silence for a couple more minutes before Kotake returned, Koume trailing in warily behind her.

"Well, well, if it isn't the little forest boy from so long ago. But you are not dressed like a forest boy anymore. Why the desert garb?" she queried.

I pointed to Sheik. "He's actually a Sheikah. He dresses like that all the time. This was loaned to me when I had to travel through the desert," I explained, gesturing to my outfit.

"Ah, so you still wear a skirt?"

Sheik let out a surprised snort of laughter as I sputtered indignantly. "It's not a _skirt_! It's a bloody _tunic_!"

"Mmhmm, whatever you say," she replied sarcastically.

I crossed my arms in front of my chest and glared at her as she snickered quietly.

A glance from her sister sobered her quickly. "So you have questions for us?"

Sheik shot a pointed look at my defensive stance. I uncrossed my arms. "Yes indeed. Why did you leave Hyrule all those years ago? Everyone presumed you to be dead."

"We felt Hyrule was too unsafe to remain living there in our old age."

This puzzled me exceedingly. "With all do respect, I believe it's been the safest it's ever been these last eight years."

"Danger is not always readily apparent," Kotake replied cryptically.

"Okay then…how about this? Can you tell us about the boy you raised, Ganondorf?"

Both witches paled dramatically and shuddered violently at his name. "That was another life. Ganondorf is dead and gone now."

I prayed for patience. "Look, apparently this is difficult for you, but we _really_ need any information you have on his childhood. Could you please tell us what you know?"

The witches exchanged a loaded glance. Koume turned and nodded her head resignedly.

"Twenty-eight years ago, there lived an outcast amongst the Gerudo—a young girl by the name of Nalan.

She had not always lived with the Gerudo. Her mother, Dalvia, was known as a _rhianon_, a blood traitor, because she had left the Gerudo shortly after Nalan's birth to live with her lover, Ralph. Eight years later, both Ralph and Dalvia died in a horrific accident. None of his relatives would take in the half-Gerudo child, so they sent her back to the desert.

Her childhood was lonely: she lived on the outskirts of town, trying to avoid the other young Gerudo girls. She was lovely in figure and face, with flaming red hair and beautiful topaz eyes. The girls were jealous and cruel to her. She had a gentle spirit and a kind nature; she never tried to defend herself against their venomous words and hissed lies.

The years passed. Pretty soon, it came time for her first foray into town. Gerudo women are required to bear two children in their lifetime, and many go to town on a regular basis just to find lovers. Nalan had avoided the task till her sixteenth year, and then she could avoid it no longer.

The men were besotted with her. She chose carefully and discreetly—she never revealed who her lover had been. The trip was a success. She became pregnant and returned home to await the birth of her daughter.

The pregnancy had been difficult from the start; Nalan was always rather weak. Around her fifth month, the Goddess of the Sand visited her in a dream. The goddess told her that she was not carrying a daughter, but was in fact carrying the next Gerudo King in her womb. Nalan set out in the middle of the night for the far side of the desert, where those who bear the Gerudo kings go to live.

No one knew to whence she had disappeared. And frankly, none of them really cared. The blood traitor's daughter was gone. Pureness had returned to the Fortress.

We know not what transpired next. When Nalan called out for help and we came to attend her, the child was already almost a week old. Nalan died shortly after we arrived. From that moment on, we took over the raising of the child, whom she had named Ganondorf Dragmire.

He was an exceptionally bright child; he thirsted for knowledge. He excelled in reading, writing, mathematics, the sciences, the magical arts, music, athletics, et cetera. Anything he put his mind to, he could accomplish. But he lacked friends.

Around the age of ten we started to see signs of a rather unhealthy obsession with power. He craved power more than anything else.

Additionally, he was a highly skilled speaker. His powers of persuasion were extremely effective. He could literally talk the sand into becoming glass. It didn't take very long before we realized that his gift of speech was a kind of magic all its own.

Although we had been teaching Ganondorf the art of magic along with the rest of his studies, he had taken it upon himself to expand into…darker areas of magic. Terrible, horrible magic. The type of magic that should be buried in history. Without our knowledge, he became a highly skilled dark sorcerer by the time he had reached his mid-teens.

There came a day when we knew for a fact that Ganondorf's heart had been overtaken by evil. Sorceresses ourselves, we possess a great deal of magical power and an extensive knowledge of alchemy. Before taking care of Ganondorf, we had been working on a study of the mind. We stumbled upon a dangerous discovery, thought to be lost to the ages—brainwashing. Somehow, Ganondorf found out about it. He used his persuasive powers to make us teach him the process. He saw, however, that brainwashing takes a great deal of skill and magical effort. He didn't want to waste the time, so he changed his tactic—he made us brainwash his subjects. He started out small, animals and such, but soon his experiments grew to more complex subjects, namely humans.

We tried to stop him, but as our objections grew stronger, he exerted the effort to brainwash _us_. We were then powerless to do anything against him. We could do nothing to stop the potential catastrophic effects his powers could unleash on the world.

He set out at age twenty, to accomplish only the goddesses know what, but strangely enough, he died soon after leaving, apparently of natural causes.

The reason we left Hyrule is because we witnessed first hand what an incredibly powerful individual he had become. There is no way in hell he could have died of natural causes. We do not know what actually happened between the time he left the desert and the time he supposedly "died", but we do not think that he is truly dead.

After Ganondorf's death, we immediately departed for Termina. We wanted nothing more to do with dark magic and rogue sorcerers thirsty for power. We haven't been back since."

Sheik and I sat in complete silence for a solid ten minutes after Koume's narrative. My thoughts raced with new information. Although nothing could be used immediately, there was much information that could be researched. We now had a name for Ganondorf's mother, as well as the name of her mother and father.

My thoughts turned to Ganondorf's character. A lonely prodigy child with an obsession for power and dark arts. My mind could barely wrap around the concept of him ever being a child, and not the menacing desert man clad in black armor.

Sheik addressed the witches. "Thank you, Koume, Kotake, for all of your information. I think it will prove most beneficial, once we can have the proper people research it."

"We would greatly appreciate if you keep the life we lead here as secret as possible," Kotake said.

"Of course," I promised. "No one will know besides Zelda and the Sages." I looked outside at the swiftly setting sun. "We really must be off, but thank you again for everything. Sheik, shall we?"

He stood and followed me outside. "That was a lot of stuff they told us."

Navi flew out from underneath his cowl. "Okay boys, listen up. I'm going to go on ahead back to the palace and let them know of your imminent arrival. I'll give them the basics and such. Hurry back!" she called as she swirled around and disappeared.

I turned back to Sheik. "Clock Town is going to be absolutely crazy when we get there. They have all these pre-festival activities going on right now. Can you do your Sheikah-morphing-into-the-shadows thing while I wear the Stone Mask? Otherwise, we'll never get back home."

He nodded his consent. "Be prepared to slink into the shadows as soon as we arrive. You'll get swamped if you don't," I added as I pulled out the ocarina and mask.

"That mask sure is ugly," Sheik commented as he withdrew his harp.

"You wouldn't believe how much easier it made getting through the pirate's fortress, though," I said.

"Pirates?"

"Er, yeah. Basically it's Termina's version of the Gerudo. In fact, they _are_ the Gerudo, only on the water. Shall we?" I questioned, gesturing to the instruments.

SPOV

'Crazy' was a massive understatement as I landed back in Clock Town plaza. What I thought had been busy earlier could more easily be compared to a dark alley at three in the morning. The square now was fit to bursting. People were wedged into the square, drinking liberal amounts of alcohol. A band of musicians set up on a make-shift stage played and sang raucously while the people danced to the music. A group of skilled acrobats and flame dancers held court in the middle of the plaza, while other sideshows lined the walls. A huge fire-pit had been erected and was currently roasting what looked like an entire cow. I forgot that I was supposed to be slithering through the shadows, and instead stood gawking at the sights.

A huge hand clapped down on my shoulder and a rough voice slurred in my ear, "Hey babyface, wanna come dance with me?" I turned and looked up into the gigantic man's stubble-covered face. His eyes were glassy and unfocused, and the three friends standing by his shoulder looked to be in the same state of inebriation.

I shrugged his hand off. "I don't think so."

He frowned darkly and reached out to grasp my wrist. I slipped to the side and his hand closed on air. He scowled at his empty hand and looked around in confusion. I turned around to find myself completely surrounded by his burly man-friends.

Now, I wasn't worried about being able to get away in the slightest, but I was worried about making a scene.

The crowd shifted, shoving me into the man's thick chest. He grunted in satisfaction and immediately lowered his hand to grasp my crotch. My indignation weighed more heavily than my fear. As I drew back my knee to ram it into his groin, a hand wrapped around the man's neck, wrenching it back, as another hand came around holding a glinting silver blade to his exposed throat. Several people standing near gasped.

Ah well, so much for making a scene.

"I don't think my friend wants your fumbling hands on him. Be a dear and release him…_now_," Link said, his voice dangerous and low. The man immediately dropped his hands and I stepped back. Link dropped the knife and shoved the man into the line of his burly-friends, then came to stand by me. The crowd formed a circle around us.

"Why you!" one of the drunk friends yelled. He and his friends roared as they charged toward us.

Link took on the original burly-man and the guy on his other side. That left the other two for me.

My small, unassuming stature came in handy at times like that. The men fully expected to just grab me and break me like a toothpick (which I had no doubt they _could_ do, if they actually could get a hold of me). As they ran toward me, I jumped up and somersaulted over their heads, landing behind them. One stumbled and fell, knocking his head against the wooden planks and immediately blacking out. The other skidded to a stop and turned, only to sink to the ground as I rammed my knee, _hard_, into his groin, quickly followed by a well-aimed shot to the head, effectively sending him into a deep sleep.

I watched in satisfaction as Link administered a final kick in the balls to my harasser.

"Shall we go?" he asked pleasantly. The crowd roared their raucous approval. They parted and we walked down the ramp and into the clock tower.

"A knife, Link? Wasn't that a little extreme?"

"Well, after standing in here for a minute, and no Sheik, I go back outside to find him surrounded by no less than four gigantic, disgustingly drunk men, one of which has his hands in a most inappropriate place. They wouldn't have taken me seriously otherwise."

"I suppose." I looked at Link from the corner of my eye. I felt pleasure well up inside at the thought of having someone watching out for me.

I stopped. "Link," I said. As he turned, I launched myself into his arms and planted my mouth firmly on his.

He stumbled back a step before catching himself. I arched into him, fully relishing the feel of our bodies melding together. Link groaned deep in his throat, spurring me to deepen the kiss. I wrapped my arms tightly around Link's neck and pulled myself up, wrapping my legs around his waist and crossing my ankles behind his back. Now _I _had the height advantage. I took control of the kiss as I plundered Link's mouth, claiming it as my own. His hands traced down my back, straining me closer, as mine carded through his hair, knocking off the black bandages. I broke the kiss and licked a trail along his jaw to his ear. I nipped the lobe lightly, provoking another groan from Link. He spun and slammed me against the wall, taking back control, claiming my mouth in turn as his.

A drunken shout made us finally break apart. We stared into each other's eyes, our breathing ragged and heavy. The air positively steamed around us. I dropped back to the floor and stepped back, trying to gain back control over my arousal. I reminded myself that we still had a meeting with the Sages and the Princess, and having an erection in the middle of said meeting would _not _be a good thing.

Link seemed to be attempting the same thing. We grinned at each other as he reached down to pick up the bandages. We straightened our clothing and continued on through the thick stone door and the series of strange other-worldly rooms.

"Do you think anything happened while we were away?" I questioned as we walked through the final room before re-entering the Lost Woods.

"There's no telling. Let's hope not. I'm rather worried about all those monsters Impa and Nabooru mentioned. Whoever is behind all this certainly has been busy lately. And they're pretty skilled, if that scorpion was anything to go by."

I nodded my agreement.

"Okay, this is good," Link said, stopping to pull out his ocarina. "We can just warp to the Temple of Time from here."

"Ah, the wonderful properties of music," I sighed, withdrawing my own instrument and raising it into position. I played the song effortlessly, the notes flowing from my fingertips.

Only as we warped away did I notice the faint smell of sulfur in the air.

Author Note: Hum-de-dum…oho! A slight cliffhanger?! Well, let's see…next chapter, you can look forward to even MORE plot development, Link and Sheik's night together (and the _activities_ that take place), and some hard-core enemy fighting!

I hope you guys are enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it!


	11. Out of the Night

Chapter 11 Out of the Night

Author Note: Thank you to all of my reviewers: cheesy lasagana, Hunter of Darkness, Atsuko Uehara, Master Sapphire 69, Ryukai-MJ, jAE.x, and Silver Volken Raven!

Author Note at the end. Enjoy!

SPOV

Chaos greeted us as soon as we returned to Market Town.

The smell of rotting flesh slammed into my nostrils as I landed in the Temple of Time. Acrid smoke intermingled with the macabre scent.

Gagging, I raised my cowl over my nose. "What on earth?"

Link strained his ear toward the door, every muscle rigid. I turned in that direction and listened. Screams intermingled with guttural roars and the unmistakable sound of a blazing fire filtered through from outside.

"Let's go," he said, his voice low and fierce. I pulled out my whip with one hand and withdrew my Shadow sword with the other as Link pulled his gilded sword out of its scabbard.

As Link made to fling open the door, I stayed his hand. "Wait," I hissed. "There could be an ambush." I cracked open the heavy stone door and peered into the courtyard. Link stood, his body tightly coiled, beside me. The path clear, I motioned him through.

Smoke clouded the air and drastically reduced our visibility. The noise, as well as the smell, increased as we ran down the steps. As Link hastily wrapped his cowl around the lower half of his face, Navi's voice halted our progress.

"Link! Sheik!" she yelled, flying up to us. Several dozen red fairies, about twice the size of Navi, followed in her wake.

"Navi, what happened? What's going on?" Link questioned urgently.

"An attack, not five minutes ago. There's a veritable army of monsters out there," she gasped.

"What about the Sages and the Princess?" I demanded.

"Zelda and the Sages are doing their best to protect the castle, but the attack was so sudden and they had to remove all the villagers and refugees, as well as heal the wounded. The warriors they dispatched have been pushed back into the road leading to the castle. Flank the enemy and stop their progress, Link. I've got to take these fairies to aid the soldiers. Hopefully Darunia was able to get word to his Goron fighters to come help. But until then, you two are on your own." She turned to the fairies and spoke in a high-pitched, foreign tongue. Two of the fairies detached themselves from the group and came to float by our heads. "These fairies will be able to heal you multiple times if you get wounded. Be careful, both of you. Now go!"

Link and I hurried through the courtyard, keeping to the shadows, wanting to asses the situation before throwing ourselves into combat. But as we rounded the last corner, the sight that met us stopped us short.

There were easily two hundred enemies in the main plaza. The lines were re-forming, the stronger Iron Knuckles, Dinalfos, and Stalfos moving to the front lines to pressure the struggling warriors who were defending the entrance to the castle road, while the Lizalfos, Bokoblins, and Tektites organized themselves behind them. I spotted several Bulblins on the surrounding rooftops with bows drawn.

The Hylians were definitely losing.

However, to my relief, the ground was not littered with the dead. At least the Sages had been able to evacuate everyone before the real fight started.

The buildings closest to the town exit were engulfed in flames, cutting off any escape route, but also effectively keeping anymore enemies from coming in.

I swallowed heavily. Link looked out over the assembled enemies. "Goddesses," he whispered. His eyes swept the forces, strategizing, sizing up the situation. "Get the archers," he instructed, handing me two extra quivers of arrows. "I'm going to create a barrier between the burning buildings and the ones that haven't caught yet. Then I'll shoot the Tetkites. The Bokoblins can be taken down with arrows, too. The rest we will have to fight hand-to-hand." I nodded sharply and faded into the shadows as Link slipped on the Stone Mask, the fairy also disappearing from sight. Gifted with eyes to see the Truth, I easily kept track of him.

I sought out the archers as I nocked the Hero's Bow. Thirty archers dotted the rooftops. My arrows struck swift and true, the Bublins falling into the melee beneath them. Link moved about constantly, firing arrows at the numerous Tetkites. As the giant insecticides continued to drop, several of the Lizalfos noticed their allies falling. The largest one sent out a harsh 'wark' and the line of lizards dispersed, looking for the source of the arrows. I shot down more Bokoblins than I could count and Link did the same, always moving, changing positions, trying to confuse the enemy.

My heart skipped a beat and I froze as Link ducked into the midst of the largest group of lizards. He slammed his fist downwards and a wall of fire erupted from his hand and spread outwards, engulfing the whole group of them in flames. In a flash, he removed his longshot. The hook sunk into the wood above my head. Moments later, Link dropped down next to me.

"That was incredibly dangerous," I admonished, eyes raking over the enemies left. I absently felled the remaining Bokoblins as Link did away with the last of the dying Lizalfos. With the lesser enemies dead, we had only left to face the Iron Knuckles, Dinalfos, and Stalfos. Great.

"New plan," Link said, removing the mask. "The Stalfos need to be killed all in one go, otherwise they'll regenerate. I'll distract the Dinalfos while you drop bombs on them from the rooftops. The Dinalfos can be killed with more Din's Fire. We'll worry about the Iron Knuckles in a minute."

He handed me a bulging bag of bombs and replaced the mask before hurrying back out into the chaos. The remaining enemies, now realizing that their troops had been reduced by nearly half, were dissolving into confusion, their lines ragged. I jumped up and grabbed hold of a balcony and pulled myself up. I climbed from the railing onto the roof and started making my way around the plaza, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. I used the hookshot to reach the roof of the Happy Mask Shop. From there I could see a little ways down the castle road. The Hylians had retreated even farther up the road under the harsh onslaught of the Iron Knuckles. Navi's fairy friends swirled around the fighting men, healing wounds and boosting energy. I glanced quickly back into the plaza and spotted Link roasting a large group of Dinalfos. I returned my attention to the Stalfos below me. I counted about forty of the undead soldiers, all with rusty swords and spiked shields. Hefting the bag of bombs, I drew out two and lobbed them in quick succession into the thickest concentration of Stalfos. The explosion sent up large chunks of bone. The Stalfos bellowed in rage and bewilderment. Only a shadow, I hopped across the roadway and landed on the opposite roof, dropping three more bombs while in the air. I slipped a bomb onto an arrow and fired it into a group of outlying warriors. Their numbers dwindled to less than ten as Link set loose bombchus from various positions around the plaza. I picked off the rest with bomb arrows and jumped down to help defeat the remaining Dinalfos.

A harsh cacophony of truly terrifying screeches reverberated through the air. Link and I froze and turned to the entrance.

"Fuck!" Link exclaimed. Fifty ReDeads and Gibdos stood in gruesome formation, their mouths hanging open and emitting paralyzing, Banshee-esque screams.

"Get out your harp!" Link yelled, his voice tinged with hysteria, the sight of the (truly) undead soldiers getting under his skin. "Play the Sun's Song!" he ordered harshly. I stroked the strings and played the song, so out of place in the dark bedlam. The song penetrated the darkness, both literally and figuratively, and the ghouls froze.

Link weaved his way to the center of the group and unleashed another wave of fire, quickly followed by a powered spin attack with his sword. I continued to play the Sun's Song as the undead revived from their trance, and Link continued to burn and hack his way through the mass. The last one fell and Link stumbled out of the reeking pile of Re-ReDead bodies.

I ran over to him and placed an arm around his shoulders. His chest heaved and his face drained of all color. "Are you okay, Link?" I asked worriedly.

He made a visible effort to rein in his emotions. "Yeah, just some not-too-pleasant childhood memories."

He briefly removed his mask. "Ready for the real fight?" he questioned with a wry grin as a last errant Dinalfos fell, a hole cut through his chest. I looked out over the bloody carnage. The Stalfos' bones disintegrated into dust and swirled up to mingle with the falling ashes.

"Real fight? What do you call what we just did?" I asked incredulously, relieved to see him sufficiently recovered.

He laughed. "Child's play, dearheart. Child's play." He looked thoughtfully at the some twenty Iron Knuckles left. A sudden flurry of motion caught my attention.

"Look, Link," I said, pointing to the figure. "Is that Valek?" He turned and squinted.

"Yeah. I think it is." Valek was outfitted in black armor and was wielding a silver rapier. He expertly cut down an Iron Knuckle and moved on to the next one. I stood entranced, watching him fight. He was a _connoisseur_ of sword play if I had ever seen one.

The Iron Knuckles began to concentrate their efforts on Valek. Link and I drew our weapons and ran over to where the last of the enemies gathered. Link threw himself into the fray. I picked an Iron Knuckle and commenced the fight.

With all the armor weighing it down, the warrior moved slowly at first. With all the speed and flexibility I possessed, I ducked and dodged the giant axe and got hits in often. The Shadow Sword seemed to find openings on its own and cut through the armor with ease. I quickly hacked away enough of its protective coverings to get a clean swipe at its throat. The Knuckle crumpled at my feet.

I turned to find my next opponent. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Link taking on two Knuckles at once and Valek pulling his blade out of the heart of another. A battle cry made me spin around. A tall warrior, accoutered in blood red armor, raced toward me. He was much swifter and he carried a long broadsword instead of an axe, as well as a large shield. I extracted another knife and met him head on. His attacks left me on the defensive. I parried his powerful, quick attacks with my knives, but could not seem to gain the offensive. The fight went on for several minutes before I began forming a plan in my mind. I feinted back and he lunged. I sidestepped and rolled around him, using the momentum to spring up off the ground behind him and rake the Shadow Sword up his back, splitting his armor in half. The breastplate fell to the ground with a clank. He spun around and swung his sword over his head in an arc. I raised my knives to block the stinging blow, but it knocked me back and I faltered. He shoved me to the ground with his forearm and advanced, sword raised to deliver the death blow. I waited until he came close enough, then jumped straight up and spun in the air, cracking him on the head as I flipped over his body. He stumbled forward and landed on one knee. I whirled around and plunged the Shadow Sword into the unprotected part of his neck and twisted. He choked and his eyes met mine as he collapsed onto the ground. I stood, drawing deep breaths into my lungs, at the head of the fallen warrior. The red fairy Navi had gifted me with flew around my body, easing the bruises and healing the cuts. What on earth had I just fought?

LPOV

With vicious satisfaction I pierced the heart of the last Iron Knuckle with a fierce thrust. The juggernaut slumped over the sword protruding from his chest. I withdrew the weapon with a grunt and looked about. Valek stood a few feet away, calmly cleaning his blade. I turned around and spotted Sheik standing across the way, staring down at a crumpled enemy in dark red armor. He had a perplexed expression on his face and his chest was heaving.

I took stock of my limbs. Everything was intact and the bruises sustained were few. The fairy flew around me one last time, replenishing my sorely depleted magic and healing the minor injuries. The adrenaline still pumped through my body. The few soldiers that still remained in the area congratulated each other and accepted healings from the fairies.

I walked up to Valek. "Thanks for the help," I said.

"No problem," he answered, sheathing his blade. "I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier. I was helping the Princess with the evacuees and such. But it looks like you guys managed well enough without anyone's aid."

I shrugged, allowing that. "All the same, I thank you."

Valek nodded and turned as Sheik walked up, his breathing returned to normal. "Thank you for your aid, Valek." Valek nodded again. Sheik faced me. He pointed at the red armor. "That," he said, "was _not_ an Iron Knuckle. Whatever _that _was possessed an extremely high level of skill and power. Let us hope that whoever is behind all this does not get more of those_._ Or we will be in big trouble."

"What on earth are you talking about? What happened?" I asked, slightly confused.

"It's called a Darknut," Valek inserted quietly. "They are, indeed, highly trained undead warriors, and absolutely lethal. Any lesser man fighting that thing would have been killed almost instantly."

Sheik nodded his assent. "It was like fighting a highly competent master."

We all turned as one as Zelda's voice rang through the air. "Link! Sheik! Valek! Are you alright?"

"We're fine Zelda, just fine," I answered. "Are you okay?"

Her face was black with soot and her hair was a tangled mess. Her dress, I believe it was once a pale yellow, was now completely soiled and torn in at least six places. Zelda cast her anxious gaze over us and relief crossed her features when she did not see any injuries.

"Yes, I am alright."

"If you will excuse me, Princess, I will go see if I can be of service anywhere," Valek said, bowing.

"Of course. Thank you, Valek, for your help."

"Not at all, Princess. Anything to help you," he grinned and strode off.

A group of Zoras rushed down Castle Road and toward the flames. They cast some type of watery-magic spell and all the fires extinguished, as if someone had blown out a candle. We stood and surveyed the damage to Market Town.

Every building that stretched from each side of the Hyrule Field entrance was nothing more than a charred skeleton. The remaining buildings had sustained minor to severe damage, with broken windows, busted boors, caved roofs, et cetera, but nothing that couldn't be repaired. The bodies of the fallen ReDeads filled the Hyrule Field entryway. The Tetkite, Bokoblin, Bulblin, Lizalfos, and Dinalfos corpses covered every square inch from one end of the plaza to the other. The Stalfos' ashes, as well as the ash from the fire, coated _everything_. The bodies of the Iron Knuckles littered the Castle Town road.

"Well, there aim must have been to break into the Castle, not to raze the town," Zelda commented. "Otherwise, there would have been a hell of a lot more damage."

"No, Princess," Impa said, walking up behind us. "There aim was to distract us."

My stomach tightened with foreboding. Impa continued. "Darunia just got word from the Gorons. The lava in Death Mountain has risen and spilled into the Goron's city, filling the bottom two levels. Consequently, the magma has spread into the Lost Woods through the magical passageway." Zelda gasped in shock.

"Is everyone okay?" Sheik questioned urgently.

"Every one of the Kokiri and Gorons has been accounted for. The Kokiri erected a barrier at the entrance to the Lost Woods to make sure the lava does not spill into their Forest, and the Gorons have sealed the lava in their city under a layer of magical rock. However, these fixes are only temporary. We must put an end to this—quickly. Surely you feel it, Princess. Evil has begun to taint the Temples once again. It has somehow passed us by and slunk back into the recesses of our holy places, just in these last few hours."

Zelda nodded her head. "Yes, I have felt it. We have much to do." Zelda waved her hand and the bodies disintegrated into dust.

I stared in disbelief. "Why the _hell _couldn't you have done that to begin with?" I asked angrily.

Zelda shook her head at me. "That trick doesn't work on someone who's alive."

I rolled my eyes at the finicky nature of magic.

Zelda began ticking things off her fingers. "Impa, get the Zoras in here to cleanse the area. Get all the Goron evacuees into the city and have them tear down the burnt houses. Those things are hazardous accidents just waiting to happen. Assign Talone the task of finding places for all the displaced people to stay and getting them meals. Delegate the task to someone of setting up a healer's booth for anyone who is still suffering from injuries. Er…what else?"

"I don't know Zelda, but we do have some vital information that we must give you," I interjected.

"Oh yes! I almost forgot. Come with me." She extended a hand to Sheik and I. We grasped her hands and she warped us away in a flash of light.

We landed in Zelda's private study. The circular room was large and airy. The whole northern wall was covered in floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked her personal courtyard while walnut bookshelves ringed the eastern and western walls. The rose colored carpet felt like heaven under my tired feet. Zelda walked forward and perched on her large walnut desk, gesturing for us take seats in any one of the numerous low couches or chairs. Sheik and I dropped wearily onto the closest loveseat.

"Can you tell us exactly what happened, Zelda?" Sheik requested politely.

"Well, let's see. We Sages had gathered in the Castle a little after dinner to await your return. Navi came to us around eight and told us you were on your way. At roughly eight-thirty, a guard on the outer wall of the town sounded the warning; he had seen what looked like a small enemy force approaching. I went to check it out. The "small force" quickly grew into what you witnessed in the main plaza. At the time they were just cresting the hill by Lon Lon Ranch and moving fast. I had the guards immediately raise the gate and called the Sages to me. We rounded up the evacuees and tried to explain the situation. A mild panic ensued and time was lost. The enemies destroyed our gate like it was nothing and were able to get a few shots in at the lingering evacuees. With the villagers' lives at stake, we Sages concentrated on getting them to safety more than fighting the enemy. I was able to cast a temporary shield spell to stop the advancement of the troops, enough time to get everyone into the Castle proper and our own defense into place. With all the soldiers still in Kakariko, our forces were quite outnumbered. They were immediately pushed back into the road leading to the castle. I think that was about the time that you two showed up. You're both crazy, you know? You guys took on hundreds of enemies on your own. The strategy and skill you displayed astounds me. For the moment, we have secured Castle Town's safety, and for that, you have my eternal thanks," she finished, bowing her head.

I rolled my eyes fondly. "As if we didn't have that already." Sheik elbowed me and Zelda looked up and stuck her tongue out at me.

Sheik reached out and swept his hand across my cheekbone. "You're filthy," he stated.

"You're not exactly the pinnacle of cleanliness yourself," I returned, leaning into his touch. He started to incline his head toward me, but jerked to a stop and glanced warily at Zelda.

I turned my head and had to smother a laugh at the sight of Zelda, eyes bright and hands clasped under her chin, her whole body strained forward eagerly. I sighed and sat back. Disappointment raced across her face and this time I let the laugh tumble free.

She frowned at me, but her gaze quickly became animated once again. "You guys are going to have every single woman in this place in a swoon."

"What?"

"You two are just about the hottest thing that's ever happened to Hyrule," she said, grinning deviously. "Especially in those delicious desert clothes."

My face flamed and I glared at her. "This suit will be nothing more than a pile of ash when I'm done with it," I threatened.

Nabooru's voice sounded behind me. "You will do no such thing, Mr. Hero. That suit is mine, and I do not want you to torch it. Besides, I think your Sheikah there likes it," she added slyly.

Sheik coughed in embarrassment and declined to answer. Nabooru's grin widened.

"Shall we get down to business?" Impa asked smoothly, having slipped completely unnoticed into the room to stand by Zelda.

"Please," I answered dryly. "We did find Koume and Kotake, and they _were_ the original Rova sisters. After some persuasion, we got them to spill the beans on all they knew…"

I rehashed the tragic story of Dalvia, Ralph, and Nalan.

"I remember my mother telling me of a _rhianon_," Nabooru said quietly, interrupting my narrative. "She must have been referring to Nalan…I never imagined that Nalan was the mother of Ganondorf. How strange, that such a quiet, sweet-natured girl could give birth to such a monster."

"Strange indeed," Impa remarked. "Continue, if you will."

Sheik picked up the story. I listened as he described Ganondorf's childhood: a lonely prodigy with a penchant for power. He told them of Ganondorf's persuasive capabilities and his acquisition of dark arts and the ability to brainwash. His story concluded with Ganondorf's setting off to conquer the world and his apparent "death."

"Well, that explains how he sweet-talked his way into Father's good graces," Zelda muttered absently. She shook her head and addressed the room. "We have gained a great deal of valuable information today. This must all be investigated further. Raura, Impa, and I will scour the records here at the Castle. Nabooru, find out whatever you can about Nalan and her parents from your women and any records you have at the Fortress. At the moment, Saria and Darunia must concentrate their efforts on their people. Princess Ruto is currently strengthening the protective wards around Zora's Domain." She turned to face us. "Link, you and Sheik will take the remainder of tonight to rest and heal, and then you must go and find the source of evil in the Fire Temple, and stop it. I think that once the darkness is purged, the magma will recede. We cannot allow the malevolence to pile up on us. We must fight it as it comes."

"Understood. We will set out an hour past daybreak. Sheik, shall we?" I asked, gesturing to the door. Sheik stood and bowed to Zelda and I belatedly inclined my head.

Zelda chuckled. "Oh, the deference you pay me…Now off to bed!"

I pulled Sheik across the room and out the door. My muscles jumped with fatigue as we walked down the hallway. I stopped and looked around, trying to get my bearings. Sheik noticed my confused expression and grabbed my hand. "It's this way," he instructed, taking the lead. I allowed him to tow me along, the corridors blurring together. The last of my adrenaline left me in a rush and all the nonstop activity over the last couple days washed over me. I stumbled a bit and Sheik reached out the hand I wasn't holding to steady me.

"Yeah, I feel the same way," he said softly. "We're almost there."

Sure enough, our room sat just around the next corner. I opened the door and saw the bed, the oh-so-lovely feather bed, and my knees almost gave way. "A bed," I sighed reverently.

"There is no way you're going to get in that bed in your current condition," Navi reprimanded, flying out of the lighted bathroom. "You two will bathe and eat something, and _then_ you can sleep."

I groaned, but complied nonetheless. Navi had already filled the sunken tub with steaming water and bathing oils. Sheik helped me remove my chest bandages as I unwound the bandages from my arms and head. I dropped the cowl onto the floor and pulled the skintight shirt over my head. I shucked off the pants and stepped into the water. Sheik quickly divested himself of his own garments and sank down next to me.

"Oh wow. Have I mentioned that soaking is my new favorite pastime?" he quipped. I grinned, but didn't open my eyes.

"Yes, I've found that I enjoy it, too," I answered lazily. I lolled my head to the side and peered at him through my eyelashes. He had procured a washcloth and was scrubbing his face clean of soot and enemy parts. I grabbed one off the shelf and quickly lathered up my face, arms and chest. "I'll wash your back if you wash mine," I purred. Sheik turned sharply, the water swirling off of him, and looked at me. His lips stretched into a sly smile. He moved through the water and knelt in front of me, offering me his back. I poured more bathing oil onto the wash cloth and ran it down the length of his back, following the cloth with my bare hand. He shivered at the contact. I dragged the cloth back up and brushed it against his neck. As I continued running the cloth down the sides of his back, I leaned forward and licked a trail across his neck and down into the indentions of his spine. He sucked in a shuddering breath and tried not to move under my assault. I wrapped an arm around his waist and hauled him back against me. He made a delightful crooning sound as I continued to suck and lick his neck. When he could bear no more, he twisted in my lap and locked his arms around my neck and firmly planted his lips on mine. I let my hands trail mischievously down his sides as he roughly shoved his hands through my tangled wet hair, tilting my head up to deepen the kiss. His tongue plunged into my mouth and roughly massaged mine. I groaned at the sensation overload. He broke the kiss and then his mouth was at _my _throat, sucking and licking and surely leaving marks as he worked his way around my skin. My breathing hitched and I moaned loudly. He moved up my throat, kissing my jaw and chin, before he pulled back and stared into my eyes, our lips centimeters apart.

A conspicuously loud cough floated from the doorway and penetrated the haze of desire that clouded my brain. Another cough sounded and Sheik moved backwards out of my arms as Navi floated through the door.

She pointedly ignored our swollen lips, messy hair, and red-spotted necks. "Dinner is waiting for you two. Best eat it while it's still hot."

Sheik and I glanced at each other. I nodded and Navi flew back into the main room. I quickly washed my hair and Sheik did the same. I rinsed off and turned away from Sheik to grab one of the fluffy towels sitting on the edge of the tub. Wrapping it around my waist, I stepped out of the water.

"Can you grab me one?" Sheik asked from behind me. I threw one to him and grinned.

"You never washed my back," I pouted.

Sheik raised his eyebrows and stared pointedly at my disheveled state. "Are you complaining, Hero?"

My grin stretched into a smile. "Hardly. But you owe me one next time."

I sauntered into the bedroom and Sheik slipped past me into the adjoining dressing room to put on night clothes. I found a pair of soft shorts sitting by my discarded sword and shield and quickly slid into them. Sheik walked back into the room, wearing an identical pair of shorts.

Navi floated around a platter of steaming dishes. "Come eat," she ordered.

"When did we eat last?" Sheik questioned curiously as he crossed the room.

"Hmm…I don't know. Did we eat in the desert? I can't remember."

"Huh. I can't remember either."

"You know, you two should really be more conscientious of your health," Navi scolded.

"Navi, we don't have _time _to worry about health," I whined.

"Be that as it may, you should do what you can."

I piled my plate high with the delicacies and settled back onto the bed. Sheik grabbed his plate and lounged next to me. "Gee, this feels familiar," he drawled.

We spoke intermittently as we finished up our meals.

"Navi, where is Samar and Epona?" I asked.

"They're in the stables, silly. Impa and Nabooru brought them when they came to the castle."

"Oh right. Of course." Navi huffed and muttered something about stupid unhealthy boys who don't get enough sleep. I grinned and continued eating.

Sheik cleared the dishes and snuffed out the lights. The weariness settled heavily back over us and within minutes, Sheik and I dropped off to sleep.

* * *

I woke slowly, feeling incredibly warm and relaxed. I absently noticed I was sprawled half on top of Sheik, one of my legs between his. My eyes shot open, however, as I felt the hardness pressing into my hip.

"Finally," Sheik whispered into my ear. "You're awake."

I swallowed hard and raised my head to look at Sheik. His face was open and relaxed and his mouth was curved into a soft smile. "You're definitely awake."

Sheik shrugged, unrepentant. "You'd be, too, if you had a super hot hero pressed against you for the last hour. And we're alone."

"Oh?" I asked, feeling my own arousal spiking up. "Where's Navi?"

"Not here," he grinned.

"And she won't be back anytime soon?"

His smile turned smug. "No."

Well, that was all the invitation I needed.

I lowered my head and licked a trail up Sheik's neck. His low moan slipped past his lips and I grinned against the smooth, warm skin of his neck. I kissed and sucked my way up to his lips. Sheik shifted, dragging me fully on top of him. We both gasped and groaned as our hard lengths touched, only two layers of thin cloth separating them.

"Oh goddesses," Sheik moaned. "This feels good."

"It'll only get better from here," I promised, tilting his head back for a kiss. He opened up to me and I ran my tongue across his, taking pleasure in the moist heat. Sheik trailed his hands down my back and settled them firmly on my hips. The sensations were overwhelming and I didn't know where to center my attention. Sheik parted his thighs, allowing me to settle firmly between them. His hands pressed down and I took the encouragement to grind down against him. Sheik broke the kiss and gasped. He looked as lost to the sensations as I felt.

"Sheik," I panted. He thrust his hips up against mine.

"Link," Sheik moaned, "don't stop."

I figured we should probably be doing something different, seeing as how we still had our shorts on, but it felt way too good to stop. And I figured that it worked for the moment, since it wouldn't take much more of that fantastic heat and friction.

I pressed open-mouthed kisses along Sheik's throat.

"Yes," he hissed encouragingly.

I whimpered and ground my hips down against Sheik's. Sheik slid his hands around to grip my arse and I couldn't believe how incredible it felt. I felt the muscles in my stomach coil and tighten, and I knew I was _right there._ A shudder rippled across my whole body and a groan poured from the back of my throat as I finally climaxed.

Sheik came a moment later, his head thrown back as he let out a low keening sound. I collapsed on top of him and attempted to catch my breath.

We lay like that for a minute, both panting in the aftermath, before Sheik shifted to the side and waved his hand. I was grateful to have the cooling wetness disappear.

I cocked my head to the side and grinned. "Alright?"

Sheik took a deep breath and nodded, smiling. "Yeah. I feel amazing, actually. But I've…er, never been with a boy before. My experience is quite limited."

"Ditto. But we're pretty imaginative guys. I reckon we'll figure it out well enough," I said with a wink.

Sheik's expression grew serious. "I've wanted this," he said, gesturing between us, "since the day I saw you, all those years ago. I admit that I don't really know what I'm doing as far as relationships go, but my instincts say this is right. And one thing I've learned in all this mess is to trust my instincts."

I gazed back at him and nodded my head slowly. "Yeah. I feel it, too. And I definitely like the sound of a relationship."

Sheik pressed one last soft kiss to my lips before rolling to the side and standing. He stretched his arms above his head and arched his back, then glanced down at me.

"I'm going to get cleaned up. See if you can find us some food."

"Mmhmm," I replied distractedly, still drooling over the delicious line of his back and the movement of his taut chest muscles. He tossed a pillow at me and chuckled.

"Come on, you lazy prat. We have work to do."

SPOV

I did not walk into the bathroom; I _floated_. On a cloud. Cloud nine, to be exact.

In all the pitiful years of my solitary existence, I never once imagined that Link and I would one day be together. As in lovers. I had always thought he would marry a rich and beautiful girl, have kids, et cetera, et cetera.

With this drastic change in my projected plans for Link's life, my heart sang.

I washed quickly. When I heard Impa's voice coming from the main room, I hurriedly slipped into another pair of shorts and re-entered the chamber.

"Sheik! How _lovely _to see you!" Irys cried. I spotted her standing near the door, along with several underlings, holding a wrapped bundle in her arms. Link stood in front of the window, scratching his head and sporting a sheepish look. I noticed the assistants all wore identical hungry looks as they shifted their gaze between Link and I. I stifled a groan and turned back to Irys.

"Irys. It's a pleasure," I said, bowing my head.

"Princess Zelda came to me last night and told me that you two would be heading off into the desert, among other things," she hinted, wagging her eyebrows.

Damn Zelda.

"And so, we worked all night on new garments for you and Link. With all the extra lava in Death Mountain, you need something that is completely fire repellant, something that will allow you to walk through fire and magma if need be. So, after working the whole night through, we were able to create _these_," she said dramatically. With a flourish, she unrolled the bundle and held up our new, _matching_, garments.

They were the same exoskeleton design as the rest of my clothing. My mouth tugged upwards when Link groaned as he caught sight of another skintight outfit.

I walked forward and plucked the outfit from her outstretched hands. It was made of a curiously thick material, slightly scaly, but very pliant. As I flexed the garment, the deep red color undulated and shifted between golds and reds as if it carried fire within its folds.

"Essentially, it is made from the skin of a Dodongo," Irys explained. "However, we added other materials to it, along with a hefty amount of magical spells. These go with it," she added, holding out a pair of scaly black boots and a curious pair of gauntlets. "Oh yes, the gauntlets are my special invention. Try one," she encouraged.

I pulled the black gauntlet onto my hand and raised an eyebrow in amazement. The gauntlet covered each finger and stretched all the way up to my elbow. The material bent and flexed with my movements, as if it were a second skin.

"Link, you have got to see this," I called. He looked curiously over my shoulder. I grabbed another gauntlet from Zitori. "Put it on—you'll see what I mean." He slipped the gauntlet over his hand and looked up in surprise.

"Wow. I can't even feel it there."

Irys positively glowed with pride. "Obviously, you need something to cover your hands; otherwise, they'll be burnt to a crisp. But you also need something that will not inhibit finger movement in the slightest. And that," she pointed at our hands, "is the finished product."

Link shook his head in admiration. "Irys, you truly are a master."

Fit to bursting, she bowed her head in thanks. "Now, let's get you two dressed."

Link immediately began backing away. "No thanks, I can dress myself."

Zitori's smile was positively predatory as she stalked towards him, her assistants following close behind. "We have to make sure it fits," she said cajolingly.

Link held his hands out in front of him to fend off the seamstresses. "You measured me a few days ago! I can't have grown in that short amount of time!"

"I wouldn't underestimate your power of growing, Link," I called sweetly. "They should probably check, just in case."

Link shot me a death glare, and in the moment that his attention was diverted, the seamstresses pounced.

I grinned as he shouted helplessly and turned to Irys. "Shall we?"

Several minutes later, I stood on a stool in the dressing room, now completely dressed. I turned to the side and studied my reflection.

Black pieces of body armor covered the more fragile areas of my body—my chest, back and shoulders, as well as my inner thighs and crotch. The black boots hit just below my knees, and were tight enough to keep out any stray lava. I admired the gauntlets once again; unless I saw them, I didn't even notice they were there. The hood Irys had designed covered my entire head, with only a narrow slit out of which to see. A sheer veil of magic covered the opening and protected my eyes. Irys had securely bound my hair to keep it out of the way. Both my eyes were visible for once.

"Oh Sheik! How fabulous my creations look on you! And what a gorgeous face you have! Why do you always hide it behind your hair?"

As she spoke, a lock of hair broke free and fell across my left eye. "My hair never stays the way that it's supposed to," I said, shrugging. I pointed to the piece of hair. "Case in point."

She re-pinned my hair and shooed me back into the chamber. Link emerged from the other room, face flaming and eyes sparking dangerously. I whistled in appreciation at his perfect physique that was on such delicious display. He scowled darkly.

I strolled around him and admired the view. "I don't think I'm ever going to let you go back to wearing tunics," I said boldly, raking my eyes across his frame.

Link's glare faltered and he grinned a decidedly lascivious grin. I winked and turned to Irys.

"Thank you, once again, for providing us with such useful garments. Will these hold all of our belongings?"

"Of course! I am nothing if not thorough," she replied, raising her chin disdainfully.

"I think you boys are adequately outfitted for Death Mountain now," Impa commented, breaking away from the shadows. "Sheik, what a pretty forehead you have," she added.

I choked and glared at her. Link laughed and pretended to study it closely. "Yes, a very pretty forehead indeed. You should pin your hair back more often, Sheik." I glowered at him.

"Oh! How adorable you two are!" Zelda cried, rushing into the room. Valek followed at much more sedate pace, Saria and Navi close behind.

"I wouldn't use the word adorable," Saria noted dryly. "I think drop dead sexy is much more appropriate.

Link and I spluttered in shock. "Saria!"

She grinned unrepentantly and stepped back. "Although, the matching _is _pretty cute."

Navi zoomed around us and added her delighted comments about such "charming twin sets" to the lot.

Zelda wiped away tears of mirth and tried to bring her laughter under control. "Okay you two, here's the deal: get into the Fire Temple, destroy the source of evil and stop the rise of the lava. We're going to be researching tirelessly here on all the information you've provided us with while Nabooru researches in the desert. Before you leave, you two can stop by the armory and get whatever weaponry you'll need. Please be careful. I don't want my two favorite boys roasted. Oh, and stop by the kitchen on the way out. Cook has some breakfast for you."

Link eyed the some twenty people gathered in our room and crossed his arms over his chest. "We'll get right to it. But if you _don't_ mind, Sheik and I would like to finish dressing, and we would rather _not_ have an audience. So if you could all possibly leave, that'd be great."

Saria and Zelda looked at our matching outfits one last time and fell into gales of laughter as they made their way out of the room. Valek threw us a commiserating glance and a smile as he followed them out, the seamstresses filing in behind him.

Impa added one last warning. "Please be safe you two. Just because you're now fire-proof doesn't mean you're invincible."

"We will be careful, Impa," I promised. She stepped forward and pulled me into a brief hug. I looked over her shoulder at Link in shock. She drew back and exited the room, pausing to rest her hand on Link's shoulder for a moment.

"She hasn't hugged me in ages," I said, the surprise still present in my voice.

"She's never even touched me before," he said. "Let's get our stuff and then we can drop by the armory and the kitchen. We used most of the arrows and bombs last night, and we need to get a few more potions."

I nodded and set to the task of extracting all the weaponry from my other suit and putting it in my new one. Link took twice as long, as he stopped to marvel every other minute over the fact that his weapons just disappeared into the suit. I smiled indulgently at his antics, but Navi got tired of it pretty fast.

"Oh for the love of…Link! Just put the damn weapons away! We don't have all day here!" she cried shrilly. Link threw her a sheepish look and picked up the pace.

A quick trip to the armory and the kitchen later, we entered the stable yard with Saria.

"If you need any assistance, just let me know," she offered. "We will do whatever we can to aid you."

"Thank you, Saria," we chorused. We bent down to give her a quick peck on the cheek.

She smiled at us fondly. "Be safe you two."

Link mounted Epona and turned to me once I was settled on Samar. "Ready for the real adventure?" he smirked, raising his eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes and nodded. "As I'll ever be."

Author Note: Whew, another chapter done, and Link and Sheik's first more intense intimate moment out of the way. I tried to reach a balance between risqué and not-too-risqué. I hope I did alright..._sheepish expression_...

Also, I realize that there were no Darknuts, Bokoblins, of Bulblins in OoT, but they fit my purpose and will come into play later.

Anyway, next chapter will be…you guessed it! The Fire Temple. Of course, I shall include _other_ things. As to how much though…I'm not too sure at the moment.

Guess you'll have to wait for the next installment! Speaking of which, it will hopefully be in about a week. But with school being as crazy as it is at the moment, it might be a week and a half. Till then!


	12. Of Dungeons and Worms

Chapter 12 Of Dungeons and…Worms?

Thank you to all of my reviewers: Hunter of Darkness, Ryukai-MJ, Master Sapphire 69, Are You Afraid of the Dark, jAE.x, Illyric, Barra Arisa, Atsuko Uehara, Marlin Lette, Orfeo, and Sai Teyya!

Oh jeez, all I can say in my defense of this incredibly long wait is that school has been absolute hell these past few weeks. My bio lab is swiftly becoming the bane of my existence. Anyway, I apologize! I do not think the next chapter will be so long in coming…but I make no promises. Seriously though, thank you so much to all of you who reviewed! They kept my spirits up and my fingers busy. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Chapter Warning**: Once again, as this story progresses, so too does Link and Sheik's relationship. Read at your own discretion!

SPOV

The morning had slipped away by the time we reached the foot of Death Mountain. We had ridden the horses into the village and left them in the care of Talone before making our way to the mountain gate.

Ash fell around us and the air reeked of sulfur, as well as something more…putrid. The guards had been very busy putting the city to rights, clearing away fallen debris and reconstructing the more important buildings, but I couldn't help but think it might all be in vain if the mountain were to erupt.

I felt the temperature rise as we stepped onto the trail and I sighed heavily. At the first sign of heat, Navi dove into Link's clothing without a word.

"If it's this hot out here, just imagine how hot it will be actually inside the crater."

"Oh!" Link exclaimed, slapping a hand to his forehead. "I forgot! You need a shield. Those molten rocks fall at the most inopportune of times."

We paused in our ascent as he withdrew a shield and handed it to me.

"My god, what the hell is that?!" I asked incredulously, staring at the grotesque face grimacing in despair on the face of the escutcheon.

"_That_ is an incredibly rare mirror shield I acquired while in Termina. Yes, the face is a little…"

"Disturbing? Hideous? Creepy?" I supplied sarcastically.

Link's gaze narrowed and he frowned. "Fine. If you'd rather get roasted, be my guest."

As he made to stow away the shield, I relented and held out my hand. "I _suppose_ it will have to do."

He smirked as he tossed me the shield. I snatched it out of the air and latched it onto my back. The weight was unfamiliar and uncomfortable. My shoulders twitched in irritation.

If possible, Link's smirk grew wider. "Anything wrong?" he questioned sweetly.

"Not a thing." I strode past him. "Prat." Link snorted and fell into step beside me. The temperature continued to rise as we made our way up the trail.

"So, as fun as trudging up a mountain sounds, I was thinking instead we could just ride the magic bean leaf up to the top."

I raised my eyebrows. "Are you making a reference to illegal, mind-altering substances, Link?"

"Very funny, Sheik. Don't you remember that fat guy who sat by the gate in Zora's River?"

"No," I answered, my voice skeptical.

Link waved his arms around. "Big guy, looked like a baby? Always eating beans? Kinda hard to miss!"

"Nooo," I said, drawing out the word. "Zelda and I never really had the time to go trippin' on magic beans."

With a roll of his eyes, he grabbed my arm and pulled me along, quickening the pace. "Just wait. It's right up here, and then you can see for yourself that I am _not _referring to drugs."

The leaf came into view as we reached the top of the hill. I had to admit, the thing was pretty impressive. "This must have been convenient for you," I said, walking around the plant, assessing its structure. "Where will it take us?"

"Right to the entrance of Death Mountain."

"Er…Can it carry two of us at once?"

Link frowned. "Hmm…I don't know. I guess we'll see!"

I found his answer less than satisfactory, but declined to respond. "Well, time's a-tickin. Let's get this over with."

Link and I stepped as one on to the leaf. As it lurched upward, I gave an involuntary squeak and latched onto Link.

"Oho, is the big, bad Sheikah afraid of heights?" Although I couldn't see Link's smirk, as my face was pressed into his chest, I could feel it.

"I wouldn't call this a simple matter of heights. We're standing on a _leaf_, for Farore's sake, that's about three feet in diameter and soaring through the air. I think most _sane _people would be at least a little frightened!"

"Ah, you get used to it," he replied good-naturedly. "Besides getting carried around by that owl, this is the closest I've ever gotten to flying. It's rather exciting. Unless of course you count music dissolving you and carrying you across the land..." he trailed off.

"You were carried around by an owl?"

"Kaepora Gaebora. I heard rumors of him being either an ancient reincarnated sage, or a reincarnated Sheikah. I never found out which. Although his advice was sound, he would talk your ear off, given half a chance. He wasn't too bad."

I harrumphed into his chest and kept my eyes shut tight. Moments later, the leaf landed softly on the rocky ledge and we stepped off.

I turned and looked out over the mountainous terrain. Visibility had been severely limited due to all the ash and smoke. I peeked over the edge of the cliff and spied the precarious footholds that we would have had to use, had we not used the magic bean plant.

Link walked to my side and pointed to the trail below us. "I am so glad we didn't have to climb that."

"I agree."

We stood in companionable silence for a couple of minutes. A sigh of wind touched my face. "_Children of Destiny_."

I spun around. "Did you hear something, Link?"

He turned his head. "No. What was it?"

"Shh!" I hissed. "Listen!"

A breeze whispered around us and I thought I could detect faint words in the wind. Link's eyes widened and he turned fully around. The wind intensified in heat and force, pressing against my body like a tangible thing. It began to whip around us, scattering rocks and raising red dust. Link and I stepped back as the wind gathered in a swirling column, howling all the while. The column condensed, then suddenly shot outward, forcing me to raise and arm to cover my eyes. I coughed to clear the dust from my lungs and lowered my arm.

I blinked several times before my mind registered want I was seeing. "Goddess," I whispered reverently.

Before us stood the most stunning woman I had ever seen. She towered over us. Her hair flamed scarlet, shot through with gold streaks, and cascaded freely to her knees; it put the Gerudo's hair to shame. Her skin glowed like molten gold and her eyes had the same coloring of the hottest part of a flame. They tilted up at the end, reminding me of a cat's eyes. Her deep red garments flowed over her statuesque body like water. A circlet of rubies and gold adorned her forehead and sandals of pure gold encased her feet. An aura of power and heat radiated outwards from her, like the aura of a warrior. She stared down at us with the imperious look of an immortal. She was, literally, one of the most terrifying things I had ever seen.

She raised an eyebrow and her lips quirked into a wry grin. Belatedly, Link and I dropped to our knees.

My only thought was that the statue in the King's throne room hardly did the goddess any justice at all.

The goddess opened her mouth as if to speak, but the melodious voice seemed to sound within my own head. "_Children. What do you seek_?"

A long pause greeted her question, until finally, Link swallowed nervously and answered. "We seek an end to the evil that continues to plague Hyrule. The man, if you can call him that, who holds the piece of the Triforce you champion, is on the brink of release. Our purpose is to destroy him completely this time."

"_Very good. Listen well, Children of Destiny. There are forces working in this world that are beyond the comprehension of the Hylians and Sheikah alike. We three goddesses have been watching your progress. While we will not intervene directly, we thought to aid you a little in your quest._"

I decided her voice had a certain quality to it that reminded one of a crackling fire; still otherworldly beautiful, but…fire-like.

My tongue finally came un-glued from the roof of my mouth. "We would appreciate any aid you would give us," I answered, my eyes downcast and voice subservient.

"_Look at me, Sheikah_," the Goddess demanded. I raised my head and gazed as steadily as I could into her eyes. She cocked her head to the side and studied me, her mouth still quirked. "_That's better. There is a legend that no one knows except the goddesses. Now is not the time to tell you, but one day soon, I will come to you and reveal all. Seeing as how it concerns you, it shall be your destiny. As for the aid I promised you…_

_When we goddesses decided to create the land of Hyrule, we employed the use of fire, wind, and water, among other things. Each of us had a different element to command. Naturally, I controlled fire. With my flames, I shaped the land and created the ground under your feet. When I had finished my work, I fashioned a place to keep the flames of the earth. I crafted this mountain, and deep within it, I created the rudiments of the Fire Temple. The Fire Sage, once ordained, completed the work on the Temple, making it what it is today. Inside this temple lies the Aingeal Mor, the Great Flame, the source of all fire. _

_The one who now seeks to corrupt this land recently sought the Aingeal Mor, as a means to control all of the flames in the land. When he could not locate it, he placed in the temple a fearful and terrible monster, the Aed Brutag, to slowly destroy the Great Flame, as well as to keep out intruders. _

_The Aed Brutag is enormous. It is far fiercer than the old Fire Dragon of legend. The secretion from its hide will burn away your flesh if it even touches a hint of bare skin. The monster's poison has seeped into the walls of the temple and is spreading even now, closer and closer to the Aingeal Mor._

_Link, Sheik, you must defeat the fearsome Aed Brutag. If the monster's poison touches the source of flame, the results could be disastrous, almost as disastrous if the one who seeks to corrupt lays his hands on the source of flame. _

_You must understand that if this person does get their hands on just one of the Sources and takes it for their own, they will be_ _almost unbeatable. That element will be completely theirs to command. You cannot fight flame with sword. _

_The other goddesses crafted their own secret niches into which they put their sources. It is not my place to tell you where these others lie. But know that if the one who seeks to corrupt obtains more than one Source, well, you're totally S.O.L._"

I raised an eyebrow. Somehow, a goddess saying shit out of luck just didn't fit with the image.

Link furrowed his brow. "Er, goddess, is there any possible way you could tell us who this 'one who seeks to corrupt' _is_? It would make this whole quest a whole lot easier."

The goddess' mouth stretched into a grin that reminded me a lot of Nabooru. She raised her hand and shook a finger back and forth.

"_Tsk, tsk, young Hero. Where would the fun be in that? This quest is meant to test and strengthen you, in body, mind, and spirit. You and the young Sheikah will do just fine. Rely on each other. Work together. All will be well." _

As Link opened his mouth to speak again, the goddess gave us one last wry grin before disappearing in a swirl of wind, fire, and earth.

LPOV

My mouth remained open, question poised on my lips, as I stared at the spot that had only seconds ago been occupied by the Goddess Din.

The Goddess.

_The Goddess. _

"Oh gods. Did we just speak with a _goddess_?" I asked incredulously, covering my face with my hands.

When Sheik didn't reply, I peeked through my fingers at him. He appeared just as shell-shocked as I was.

"Uunnh."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." I flopped dramatically onto my back and lay there, scowling, and looking at the darkened sky. Nothing could have prepared me for speaking with a goddess, not wielding a legendary sword, or knowing the Ancient Sages, or even journeying to the Sacred Realm.

"That was really something," Sheik said, his voice winded.

"Yeah, well, there goes the last sense of normalcy I possessed," I muttered miserably. "Conversing with a goddess definitely ranks number one on the bizarre scale."

"The bizzare scale?" Sheik ased.

"Yeah. It's what I use to rank all the crazy events that have happened in my life. I've had plenty of them, believe me. I started it after the Great Deku Tree told me to go see the Princess."

Sheik shifted to lean over me. "Nice. So what's number two?"

I put on a straight face. "You flying through my window in the dead of the night."

He smacked me on the chest. "Are you saying I'm bizarre?"

I smiled. "In the best way possible."

He grinned and leaned forward. I pushed myself up and met him halfway. The kiss was brief and relatively chaste; we didn't have the time to indulge in anything more.

"Okay, let's go," I said, a minute or two later. I made to rise, but Sheik pulled me back down.

"How about we come up with a semblance of a plan?"

"We don't need a plan. We find that Aed thing and we kill it. End of story."

He rolled his eyes. "_Not _end of story. A plan will minimize danger and time spent aimlessly searching. Now, the goddess told us that the Aed Brutag was placed there to destroy the Great Flame. She also said the Great Flame was placed in the oldest part of the Temple. Depending on how long the Aed Brutag has been in there, it's probably gotten closer to the Flame. Link, if you were the oldest part of the temple, where would you be?"

I sat up. "In the middle. The Sage who built the Temple would have built it around the pre-existing structure. They would have known the goddess had built the structure for a reason, a good reason, a reason that required protection." I quieted a moment before realizing something. "Yes," I breathed. "It has to be there."

"Where, Link?" Sheik asked, confusion evident in his face.

"It's too complicated to explain in words. I'll show you!" I jumped to my feet and hauled Sheik to his.

"Link, the monster in the temple sounds incredibly dangerous. We need to be careful."

I waved his words away and pulled out my hood. I fitted it over my face and secured the straps. I didn't want a single millimeter of bare skin showing. I quite liked my face. Sheik did the same.

"I certainly hope Zelda's magical garments repel poisonous secretions," I said cheerfully. "Otherwise, we'll be, how did the goddess put it? S.O.L."

"Indeed," Sheik answered, his voice mild.

Navi emerged from the neck of Link's outfit and yawned hugely. "Did I miss anything?" she asked, sleep making her voice rough.

"Not much, just a surprise appearance by the Goddess of Power. It wasn't that great."

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. She looked at Sheik in question and he nodded.

Navi's eyes widened and she shot into the air, her whole body radiating anger. "WHAT!? You've got to be kidding me! You didn't think to _wake_ me?!"

I crossed my arms. "You were asleep! And I couldn't even remember my own name, much less that you were sleeping on my shoulder."

Navi's eyes filled with angry tears and her lip started trembling. "The _goddess_, Link? I missed the _goddess_?"

I nodded sheepishly. "Er, yeah. But she was really quite terrifying, and she said she'd be back. I'm sure you'll get to see her eventually."

"Do you know how often the goddesses visit mortals?" she asked, her voice rising again.

"Um…no?"

"It's never happened before! _That's_ how often it happens!" she gave a growl of anger before returning to her place in my suit.

Sheik's eyes were wide. "Don't worry, she'll cool down in a bit," I said. Sheik shrugged and gestured to the entrance.

Even with all the layers of magic in our clothing, walking into the furnace that is Death Mountain Crater felt like walking into a brick wall. The lava levels had risen, nearly submerging the middle platform, which added greatly to the heat. An enchanted rock kept the lava from continuing to flow into the Goron's City. A conspicuously shiny trail of _goo_ led straight to the entrance of the Temple. Sheik looked around curiously, un-phased by the heat.

I crinkled my nose. "Ew."

"So that's what has been making the air smell so foul. It smells like rotting vegetables and vomit."

"Thank you ever so much, Sheik, for that glorious description." Sheik snickered and started down the steps. At certain points, we had to trudge through the lava. It left no mark on our boots or clothing. As we made continued to make our way across the various bridges and gaps, my thoughts centered on a way to beat the monster that currently resided in the temple.

"You know what would have been nice?" I questioned sarcastically.

"Hmm?" Sheik replied absently, keeping most of his concentration on the only decrepit, wooden bridge under his feet that hadn't been burned. "If they had built _stone _bridges instead of _wooden _ones in a crater?"

"Yes, but no. If the goddess had told us how to beat the Aed thing." I answered.

Sheik paused and glanced over his shoulder. "Yeah, that would have been nice."

"But no. Instead, we get to participate in a _character-building _exercise."

We reached the other side of the bridge. I wrapped my arm around Sheik's waist and used the longshot to pull us across the next expanse of lava. "I believe the words she used were to strengthen us in 'body, mind, and spirit,'" he quipped as he stepped from the circle of my arms.

"Did I mention I hate character-building exercises?"

"It's a _strength_—oh, never mind." Sheik sighed. "So do you think this guy is going to go after the sources of water and wind?"

"Undoubtedly. Oh. That reminds me. We should probably contact the Princess. Wait a sec." I removed my ocarina and raised it to my lips. The familiar and comforting notes of Saria's song sounded weak in the scorching air. Navi didn't even bother coming out of my suit; she automatically connected me to Saria through Saria's fairy, Iri.

"Saria, we have some information," I said immediately.

"Link! Are you guys okay?" she asked, failing to keep the worry from her voice.

"Yeah, we're fine. Listen, we have very good reason to believe that whoever is behind all this is after the elemental sources of water, wind, and fire. We're taking care of the fire problem right now, but we need you to check on the other temples and see if they've been poisoned or not."

"Link, how did you come by this information?" she inquired.

"Believe it or not, the goddess Din came down and relayed a bunch of information to us."

Saria scoffed. "You've got to be kidding me." When I remained silent, she asked hesitantly, "You're serious?"

"Quite. Listen, I really don't have time to explain all of this, but just keep and eye on the other temples, okay?"

"Roger that. I'll relay the message. We're awaiting your return. Be safe!"

I shut off the connection and turned to Sheik, who was idly examining his gloved hand.

"Shall we continue?"

The closer we got to the shiny goo, the worse the smell became. Finally, we reached the entrance, as well as the largest glob of the jelly stuff.

"Should we, I don't know, test it or something? I mean, if it eats through our clothing, we'll have to get some proper clothing and come back," Sheik said, eyeing the goo with strong distaste.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan." I withdrew a Deku stick and shoved then end into the goo. The end immediately turned black and crumpled into dust. The goo seeped quickly up the sides and I dropped the rest of the stick into the mess.

"Well. I reckon it's a rather powerful corrosive," I remarked. We stood and looked down at the glop. "Soo…"

"You know Link, you have such tough skin. If the goo were to eat through your clothes, I think you'd be okay."

"Ah, but Sheik, with living in the desert and all, I believe _your _skin is tougher."

We stared at each other.

"Flip a rupee?" I offered. Sheik nodded. I pulled one out and threw it into the air. "Call it."

"Flat."

"Raised," I answered. I snatched the rupee out of the air and slammed into onto my forearm. I slowly lifted my arm. And sighed. "Flat."

"Yes!" Sheik exclaimed. I rolled my eyes and stowed the rupee. I cautiously edged my way toward the goop. I shut my eyes tight and stuck the toe of my boot into it.

"Nothing is happening," Sheik stated after a moment. "You can open your eyes." My boot wasn't even smoking. I pulled my leg back and sighed in relief. "But you should probably do your hand, too," Sheik added. "What if the material is thickest in the boots?"

"You've go to be kidding me," I grumbled, but stuck a finger in anyway. Once again, nothing happened. Sheik surprised me when he scooped a handful and smeared it on my upper arm. "HEY! What do you think you're doing?!"

He watched my arm carefully then nodded in approval. "I just had to make sure the rest of the material would stand up to it, too." He eyed the part of my face covered with the magical veil.

"No."

"Link, we need to—"

"No."

He huffed in annoyance. "Fine." Cautiously, he lifted a still-goop-covered finger and slid it across the very edge of the veil. The goop smeared, but did not seep through.

"Thank goodness. We can proceed now." He wiped the mess from his face and scraped it off his hand. I did the same with my arm, but did not see the point in cleaning my boots. We'd be covered with the stuff soon anyway.

As Sheik moved in front of me, I noticed the shield on his back. "Sheik, put your shield away. It's not protected from this poison."

He froze and stared at me with wide eyes. "Neither are our other weapons. How are we to fight then?"

"Er…"

"Not a promising answer, Link!"

"Just hold on! Let me think. A bow would be useless anyway. The arrows would disintegrate as soon as they hit the goo. A sword might hold up, for a while at least. And the hammer…It's possible, Sheik."

Carefully, Sheik used his clean hand to pull out his Shadow Sword. He gasped. "Link, look!"

The hilt was wrapped in the same material as our clothing. I swiftly removed my Gilded sword. At least we could hold the weapons. "Those sly bastards!" I shouted and laughed. "Zelda and her seamstresses think of everything!" Heartened by the cleverness of my Princess, I stowed my weapon and trudged through the goop to the ladder, Sheik in my wake. I peered over the edge into the darkness below. And noticed the ladder had disintegrated along with the rest of the wood.

"Ah, fuck."

"What?" Sheik asked, coming up behind me. He noticed the lack of a ladder. "Oh. This isn't going to be easy, is it?"

"Is anything we do ever easy?" I sighed.

"No. No, I guess not. Well, this would be a good time for some magic beans. Start thinking. I'll be right back."

While Sheik ran off, I contemplated our options. Option number one: made a ladder out of stone. Option number two: make a rope out of stone. Option number three…I sighed. I hated goopy substances.

A peculiar heat sparked in my chest. I laid a hand over my heart and remembered what was kept there: my spells. If one of us could get down there, the other could just warp to the other. Sheik's steps alerted me to his return.

He carried with him two hookshot targets. "Uh, where'd you get those?"

Shifting the weight, he gestured to a side bridge. "They were under that bridge."

"How'd you get back?"

Sheik rolled his eyes and pointed to himself. "Hello! I'm a Sheikah, remember? I can do stuff like that. This is for the return trip. Did you come up with a plan to get down there?"

I nodded. "Only one of us needs to get down there. The other can just warp with the spells Zelda gave us."

"Good plan. Now, how are we going to get one of us down there?" he asked, securing one of the targets out of the goop.

I stared into the hole and tried to determine the depth. "We could…I think it would work…hmm…I could lower you down with my longshot, and then I could warp to you from here. The longshot only goes so far, so you'd have to jump at some point. But you're a Sheikah, and Sheikah always land on their feet, right?"

"I think you're referring to cats. But yes, we always do."

"Except when you're face-planting into trees," I said innocently.

His eyes narrowed and he growled. "Don't make me feed you to the Aed Brutag," he threatened.

I laughed. "What the hell even _is _an Aed Brutag?"

"Not sure. The goddess sure made it sound terrifying though. Enough; let's get going."

SPOV

Several minutes of careful maneuvering later, I dropped quietly to the floor of the Temple. Or it would have been quiet, had not the floor been covered in two feet of rancid smelling goo. In my case, it made a terribly embarrassing squelching noise. "Okay, Link!" I shouted up. Moments later, he swirled into being next to me, surrounded by sparkly purple light. "Very manly entrance," I remarked.

"Oh shush. Now come on. If my hunch is correct, we should be able to reach the center quickly and easily."

"If the entrance to the old temple is so painfully obvious, why couldn't our resident evil-doer find it?"

Link gave me an incredulous look. "It's _not_ painfully obvious. But I spent the better part of a week combing through every nook and cranny in this place looking for imprisoned Gorons. I know this place inside out and upside down." He trotted down the hallway and I followed close behind.

"An upside down temple would be difficult to navigate, I would think," I commented.

"Ha! You have no idea."

"You've been in an upside down temple before?" I asked, spotting the light from the main temple room ahead.

"Yeah, in Termina. The place was called Stone Tower. To completely purge the temple, I had to fire a light arrow into a jeweled scarab thing. It flipped the temple. That whole experience ranked pretty high on the bizarre scale, too."

I chuckled but slammed to a halt. My arm shot out and halted Link's progress. "Wah—" he started to say.

"Move!" I rolled to the side, effectively coating myself in the goo, as a giant, flabby white tentacle _thing_ slammed into the place we had just vacated. I leapt to my feet and spotted Link rising to his. I shifted my gaze back to the _thing_ that was uncoiling and shifting its body into the main room.

It was hard to make heads or tails of it. It truly _was_ gigantic, with coil upon coil of fleshy, dirty looking white hide. Its body secreted the goo in mass amounts. I tried to spot a head, or some other weak point, but could find nothing. Link circled around next to me.

"The great, fearsome Aed Brutag is a _worm_?" he asked, the disbelief strong in his features.

"Oh. Is that what it is? I couldn't figure it out…" I noticed that some of the worm's coils disappeared through the doors to both side of the main room. "Where's its head?"

"There," Link pointed. I followed his finger and saw a knobby rounded head emerge from the room to the right. His head was bigger than six horses standing abreast. Its eyes were a dirty and flat yellow color. It opened its mouth and revealed a gaping black hole. More of the goo dripped out of his mouth and onto the floor.

"Plan?" I asked, watching the coils and head simultaneously.

"Can you see any shadows?"

"No. Where's Navi? Can't she usually tell?"

"Here I am!" she shouted, rising out of Link's outfit. "Oh, how revolting!" she cried, spotting the worm.

"Navi! Be extra careful! This goop will eat threw your skin in a matter of seconds. Don't touch Sheik or I; we're covered in it. Don't light on any surfaces. Keep moving!"

She nodded her understanding and flew to circle the worm. It raised its head and followed her movements. We could hear her disparaging comments across the room.

"Oh, what a truly rotten odor!"

"This is worse than the giant amoeba!"

"Look at that skin! Terrible!"

"What _is _that _scree_ on its hide?"

"Is his mouth black? What a terrible color!"

I choked back a snicker. The situation really didn't warrant laughter. She zoomed back to us.

"Nothing stood out. I'd say, go for the eyes. Until I find something more definite, that's generally a good weak spot." We nodded and split up. I noticed the worm didn't move but just watched our approach. I hoped he would be slow to move…

At ten feet away, the worm's head _moved_. One moment it was held completely still, the next, I was rolling under the beast's mouth. I drew my Shadow Sword and slashed at its neck. The worm recoiled and I watched with morbid fascination as the flesh swiftly knit itself back together.

"Damnit!" I shouted.

"What?" came Link's voice.

"It's self-healing!" I heard a whole slew of curses come from Link's general direction. As the worm lowered his head and shifted his body again, I spotted Navi flying into the other room. As the worm began to charge Link, I pulled out my hookshot and fired. The metal hook embedded itself in the worm's eye and yanked me onto its flailing, very slippery head.

"Find the Aingeal Mor!" I shouted to Link, not bothering to see if he got my message.

The worm roared in pain. I quickly slammed my sword up to the hilt in its other eye and carved my way around the perimeter of the orb, slicing through all the membranes and ligaments. I plunged my knife in again, deeper this time, and sawed through its thick retina. The eye, now anchored by nothing, fell to the ground with a squelch as I withdrew my knife. Yellow and black liquid jetted out of the socket as jelly began to congeal in the hole. I made quick work of the other eye, trying to maintain my precarious position as the worm threw his head back and forth. I noticed with relief that his eyes were not coming back. As the worm flung its head toward the ceiling, I narrowly avoided a jagged rock. On the worm's next downswing, I leapt off and landed at the foot of the stairs.

"Link!" I called. A deafening roar drowned any answer he might have given. The worm, now blind, flailed violently around the room. His thrashings shook the walls. Great chunks of rock detached from the ceiling and fell heavily to the earth. I hopped around the room, trying to avoid both the rocks _and _the giant floundering worm. A particularly large rock landed on its body several dozen feet below its head, restricting its movement slightly.

A faint burn caught my attention and I looked down. The goo had begun to eat through my suit.

"Sheik!" came Link's voice. I turned sharply and waited, unsure of his location, disregarding the burn. "Sheik!" he called again. I ran toward the right doorway, dodging rocks and worm at every turn.

Link stood, his hands uncovered and cradling a gigantic, uncut ruby over his head. The ruby glowed and the inside roiled with fire. I gasped and ran forward.

"Kill it! Its heart is there!" he cried wildly, trying to keep the goop from landing on the Aingeal Mor. I turned and spotted a tiny shadow, no bigger than my pinkie finger, nestled in the deepest folds of a random coil that hung a good ten feet out over the lava. I stood frozen for a second, assessing my tactical options. Coming up with nothing better, I pulled out my hookshot and fired, praying to Din that she would keep me from a fiery death. I wrapped a now seriously burning arm around its fold and with the other, plunged the Shadow Sword into its flesh. I pushed farther, the flesh closing around my hand, to reach the shadow. I hacked viciously at the meat, trying to remove its heart like I had the eyes. Its restorative powers were strongest here, and the worm's flesh was sealing over my hand. In desperation, I let go of the fold, holding on only with my legs, and shoved my hand into the small hole I had created. Taking care not to cut my own hand off, I sawed into the flesh and followed with my hand. Finally, my hand closed around the hard organ. I gripped it and yanked my hand upward, tearing the heart from its place. I threw it into the fire below me. The worm was now convulsing wildly, and I was a good thirty feet from the ledge, and at least fifteen feet below it. I held on for dear life. Its body started to slide toward the sea of lava beneath me. Stifling my panic, I stowed my knife and grasped its body tightly. Coiling my body for the jump, I placed one foot on the worm's slippery body and sprung upward, using the momentum to propel myself onto a higher fold. The worm's body was falling over the ledge faster than I was going up it. From there I leapt again, and again, until I finally had a clear shot of the ledge. In a final frantic leap, my fingertips found purchase on the ridge as the last doughy coil tumbled over the edge and into the fire below, bursting into flame.

I heaved myself up and collapsed onto the ledge, but the persistent burn returned to the forefront of my mind not a second later and I jumped to my feet right as Link reached me.

"Link! We need to get out of here. The goo is eating through my clothing!" I cried, resisting the urge to tear off my clothes.

He still held the ruby carefully in his arms. "Let's hurry."

Navi met us coming back through the doorway. She flew before us as we trudged quickly through the sludge.

We reached the ladder-less entrance. "Use the longshot," Link instructed, carefully shifting the ruby, "then use the hookshot." Holding my hookshot in one hand, I reached the other hand into his clothing and removed his longshot. Without further delay, I aimed the spring-loaded mechanism at the target I had placed halfway down the tunnel and fired. I fired the hookshot once I was in range. Holding onto the target with the hookshot, I pulled the longshot free and fired again at the top target. I scrambled onto the ledge and yelled to Link, trying to keep the hysteria from my voice. He appeared a moment later and we set out at a sprint for the Great Fairy's Fountain that lay on the other side of the crater chamber.

Employing some useful Sheikah acrobatic movements, Link and I made it to the Fountain in less time than I had thought possible. Link gently placed the Aingeal Mor on a slab of marble and summoned the Great Fairy while I tore my clothes from my body. Disregarding the fact that I was being totally disrespectful, I dove into the Fairy's water, completely naked.

Such sweet relief washed over me! The water sluiced the pain and redness from my skin. A faint tingling spread through my limbs and lightened my body. With a heartfelt sigh, I rested my head against the cool marble stones and shut my eyes.

LPOV

Seeing that Sheik was okay, I slumped to the ground and heaved a sigh of relief. His bravery astounded me. Although, him jumping onto that worm's fold of skin over a burning lake of molten magma might more aptly be called stupidity.

When he had gained the creature's head and started attacking its eyes, I had made my way past the worm, behind him to the shrine that held court in the middle of the northern wall. That one section of wall always caught my attention, every time I ever went there, with its aura of ancientness and power. Studying the wall closely, I spotted a small engraving nestled in the back of the middle alcove. The engraving depicted the symbol that adorned the Fire Medallion. And then, I knew what to do. I extracted my Fire Medallion (gifts the Sages had allowed me to keep…I mean, I deserved _something_ after that hellish adventure), and placed it in the hollow. For a moment, nothing had happened, but then the center alcove shuddered and slid backwards, revealing a tunnel. Climbing through, I had found myself in a simple round chamber, bare expect for a raised stone plinth, intricately carved, on which rested the Aingeal Mor.

My eyes drifted to where it sat, now on an intricately carved slab of marble, and I studied its structure. I wondered if the Goron Ruby had been fashioned from it, as well as the circlet of rubies the goddess wore. It was large; both hands could not reach all the way around it. It weighed several pounds at least. The ruby was not cut into facets but rather had the wild look of ancient unbridled power.

I rose to my feet and stripped off my clothing, taking care not to touch the goo. Navi sat, conversing quietly with Mercury, the Fairy who resided within the mountain, sister of Rosmerta, who resided on top of the mountain.

After divesting myself of my garments, I slipped softly into the water across from Sheik. My thoughts quickly shifted gears. All the adrenaline from the fight shifted into something more...amative. Knowing that he was sans clothing, it took every ounce of willpower not to scoot closer and peek at what I had only imagined in my dreams.

I let the water cool my heated skin, but the water could do nothing for the fire that simmered just beneath my skin. I watched Sheik's muscled chest rise and fall softly. His face was completely relaxed and open. Before I knew it, I was halfway across the fountain. I stopped myself and jerked back. My sudden movement caused Sheik to stir. I hastily scrambled backwards.

He opened his eyes and looked around before settling on me. "It sure is convenient to have these Fairy Fountains located just outside those death traps they call temples." He smiled warmly and my heartbeat quickened.

"Most convenient indeed," I replied, my voice hoarse, but not from over-exposure to the heat.

"You did well, finding the Aingeal Mor like you did," Sheik complimented.

"Ah, but I couldn't have done it without you distracting that gross worm."

"Looks like we make a pretty good pair."

"Indeed." He raised a hand and ran it through his wet hair. I followed the motion of his hand and the play of the muscles in his chest. I swallowed heavily.

Sheik cocked his head to the side and grinned. "Are you okay?"

I considered nodding my head, but instead shook it slowly. "All that fighting got me rather...wound up, so to speak."

"Oh? Well I think I can help you," he replied softly, "but it depends."

"On?" I asked breathlessly.

"Your ability to remain quiet." And then my arms were full of a gloriously wet and naked Sheikah and my back was against the edge of the fountain and Sheik's burning red eyes were very close to my own.

"I think I can handle it," I managed before Sheik's lips caught my own. He kissed me softly at first, but then more firmly as he ran his tongue across my bottom lip. I opened up to him eagerly and he deepened the kiss.

A yawn in the silence made us break apart right before Navi turned around. She frowned at how close we were, but since we weren't doing anything _inappropriate_, she let the matter go.

"Sheik, how on earth did you kill that thing? Mercury said that they're supposed to be nigh invincible!" Navi exclaimed.

"Well, it was all a spur-of-the-moment, go-with-your-gut-instinct type of thing. You said go for the eyes, so that's what I did first." Sheik shifted his hands to my hips, and unseen by the two fairies, drew them closer to his own. I let out a breath slowly and felt the heat burning in my cheeks.

"I had to completely remove the eyes, you know, otherwise they would have regenerated." He slipped his hands up my thighs and I had to clap a hand over my mouth when one of his hands curled loosely around my cock.

"Once the eyes were gone, the thing just flailed around and knocked loose a bunch of rocks. I'm sure the main room is littered with debris, not to mention a ton of that gooey mess." He tightened his fist and my whole chest jerked in response. I bit down on a groan.

"I heard Link calling to me and I made my way into that other chamber." His hand pulled at me with long, languid strokes. I shuddered and rested my forehead against his shoulder.

Sheik continued his story. "There he was, holding that gigantic rock above his head, standing precariously close to the edge of the platform. What were you doing in that room anyway?"

He quickened the motion of his hand and I couldn't help but pant a little as I spoke. "There was too much…too much goo in the main room…I had to, nnnghh, get the rock to a safe…place." I clenched my jaw and felt the muscles in my thighs tighten.

"Anyway, to make a long story short, I leapt onto one of the creature's coils and ripped its heart out. It was rather anticlimactic after that."

The fountain fell silent for a few moments, except for the quickening gasps of breath I couldn't stifle.

"Link, are you okay?" Navi asked. My groan gave me away and I slammed my head back onto Sheik's shoulder.

"_Link!_" Navi shouted.

"Honestly, you two, in my fountain?" Mercury asked, but she didn't seem too mad. My cheeks couldn't possibly be any redder.

I heard the telltale sign of the fairies departing. I lifted my head and kissed Sheik fiercely as I thrust into his hand for only a few seconds before coming with a loud moan.

My head fell back and I attempted to catch my breath. I rolled my head forward and looked at Sheik through narrowed lashes. "I wouldn't have pegged you for the, ah _sexually_ adventurous type."

"Oh?" he asked, narrowing his own eyes. He leaned forward and licked a trail from my collar bone up my chin. "You bring out this side in me. There's a lot you have left to learn about me."

"Mm," I purred, "I'm looking forward to it."

I shifted suddenly and lifted Sheik onto the side of the fountain. His gasp of surprise turned to a guttural groan as I took his member into my mouth.

"Nnnnggghhh…guh." I chuckled around the flesh in my mouth. He threw back his head and panted loudly as I ran my tongue along the underside of his cock. He slumped forward and placed his hands on my shoulders.

"You've done this before?" Sheik asked breathlessly, his eyes intense on mine.

I grinned and swallowed him completely, taking my time to suck my way back up, before answering.

"No. But like I said, I'm a pretty imaginative guy."

I returned to my chosen task. He whined deep in his throat and I could tell he wouldn't last long. After a few bobs of my head, I lifted a hand to gently stroke his inner thigh. I swirled my tongue around the head before taking as much as I could of him into my mouth once again. This time, as I sucked back up, I let my teeth barely graze Sheik. His back arched and his head fell back as he finally came. I managed to swallow most of his essence without coughing and gagging too much.

Sheik appeared completely boneless. I pulled him off the side of the fountain and into the water. He glanced at me from hooded eyes, his breathing still ragged. I felt my lips stretch into a smug grin.

"You're such a prat."

"You loved it."

He smiled. "No denying that. I feel a little bad though, about doing this in a _Fairy's Fountain_."

"Oh, come one. Fairies are almost as promiscuous as the Gerudos. Have you seen how they dress?"

"Touché," he replied. He leaned forward and kissed me softly on the lips. "Let's get dressed. The Princess is waiting for us at the Castle."

Navi and Mercury did not return until we had changed back into our regular clothing. Well, regular for Sheik. I was stuck, once again, wearing the desert clothes Nabooru had lent me. We cleansed our fire suits and stowed them away.

Navi's look of disapproval could have turned the fire worm to ice. "I am incredibly angry with you, Link. First you fail to wake me when the _goddess _decides to drop by, and then you engage in such acts in Mercury's Foutain!? I can't believe you!"

"Hey," I complained, "what about Sheik? He was the one instigating the whole thing!"

"Ha, like I believe that! I'm sure you influenced him somehow!"

I spluttered indignantly while Sheik attempted to smother his snicker. I turned and glared at him. He smiled innocently.

"Humph."

"Don't worry about it Link," Mercury said good-naturedly. "My fountain hasn't seen that much action in _ages_!"

"Don't encourage them, Mercury!" Navi reprimanded. Mercury just winked at us.

"I congratulate you on your success," Mercury continued. "With the Aed Brutag defeated, the lava levels should return to normal. I don't know whether or not you noticed, but his secretions were highly flammable. With all the goop that thing produced, he generated a ton of new lava. But given a week or so, things should return to normal, although there will be damage."

"Nothing the Sages can't fix," I said cheerfully. "They'll set things to right."

"So do we take it or leave it?" Sheik asked, gesturing to the ruby.

"Definitely take it," Navi answered. "Best to keep it at the castle, where Zelda or Impa can watch over it."

"To the castle we go then," I said, smiling at Navi.

Her glare intensified. "Don't think you can sweet-talk your way out of this one, Link. Just you wait. You're going to pay for your...indiscretions."

Sheik let out a strangled guffaw and Navi rounded on him. "Watch it, Sheikah. While I believe Link is fully to blame for your behavior, you're still on thin ice!" Sheik sobered, but grinned as Navi returned her attention to me.

"So after the castle, where do you plan on heading next?" Navi asked me.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "I guess it all depends on the information Zelda and them have gathered on Nalan, and also whether or not this 'one who corrupts' has tried to spread his corruption to other temples. We'll find out soon enough, I guess." I turned to Sheik. "When do you think Din will visit us again?"

"Who knows? A goddess doesn't know time as we do. It could be years. Or not. But there is the rather hefty matter of her Source of Flame. That chunk of ruby will have to be carefully watched. But I don't think the goddess would just let her personal power fall into the hands of any rapscallion. I think she would intervene."

"Maybe, but then again maybe not. Look who she let control the Triforce of Power. In either case, we'll make sure it's well guarded. Shall we be going? I must confess I'm terribly hungry. It's far past midnight, and we won't even get to the castle for several more hours." My stomach growled loudly. "We can warp to the graveyard, instead of climbing down the mountain, and collect the horses from Talone."

"Sounds like a plan," Sheik replied.

I placed the ruby in my pouch. Navi reluctantly settled onto my shoulder as we withdrew our instruments. We bid farewell to Mercury and went on our way.

**Author Note**: Okay, first of all, the names. _Aingeal _is an obsolete Gaelic word for fire, and _Mor _is the word for big or great. I changed the order of the words, because I thought Aigneal Mor sounded cooler; in my story it's supposed to mean "Great Flame." As for the _Aed Brutag_, _aed _is a more common Gaelic word for fire, while _brutag_ is apparently the word for worm. Hence, it is a Fire Worm. I got those words off the internet, so who knows if they're right. Ah well. They work.

I named the fairy inside Death Mountain Mercury, because it just seemed appropriate. Yes, I know Mercury was a male, but oh well. As for Rosmerta, she was a Celtic goddess who was sometimes partnered with Mercury in mythology. It fit.

I fashioned my Aingeal Mor after that giant ruby in Aladin...you know the one that Abu picks up, and everything starts melting?...That one.

Next chapter: A hefty load of plot development, more mysteries, a smattering of smut, all that good stuff. Till next time!


	13. Separation Anxiety

Chapter 13 Separation Anxiety

Thank you to all of my reviewers: Hunter of Darkness, NinjaSheik, Illyric, Master Sapphire 69, Ryukai-MJ, Jae, and Atsuko Uehara!

Ack! I sincerely apologize for the latest ridiculously long wait. Also, there is an **important author's note** at the end.

Hehe, I had the most difficult time spelling 'separation' in this chapter. For whatever the reason, every time I went to spell it, I typed s-e-p-e-r-a-t-i-o-n.

Enjoy!

LPOV

Light had not crested the horizon when we were shown into Zelda's study. Zelda perched behind her desk while Impa stood quietly by the fire. I wondered if those two ever slept.

I waited until the guards exited the room before I removed the ruby.

They watched in amazement as I unceremoniously dumped the Aingeal Mor onto Zelda's desk. The surface of the ruby trapped the light from the torches and threw it back onto the walls in an array of colors. Giving a sigh of contentment, I flopped onto the divan next to Sheik and closed my eyes.

Zelda leaned forward and cleared her throat. "Do you mind telling us what exactly this is?"

"It's called the Aingeal Mor. Din told us it's the source of all flame in the world. We found it in the crater," I answered, not bothering to open my eyes.

"So I'm assuming you took care of the lava problem?" Impa asked, her voice mild.

"Yep. It was a giant disgusting worm. But it's dead and gone now. The magma levels should be back to normal in a week or so."

Silence reigned for a few seconds.

"Wait, did you say that _Din _told you, as in, like, the _Goddess Din?_"

At Impa's question, I sat back up. "One in the same. What other Din would I be referring to?"

Their mouths dropped open simultaneously in identical flabbergasted expressions.

I turned to Sheik, whose eyebrows were raised in amusement. "My life is complete. I have finally made Impa speechless."

"Not easily done," he agreed. Impa glared and Zelda's mouth snapped shut as she tentatively reached a hand out to touch the stone. At the touch of her fingertips, the stone brightened and started humming.

"Is the stone…purring?" I asked in disbelief. "It didn't do that when _I _held it," I pouted.

Zelda ignored me as she continued to stroke the stone, a faint glow emanating from the back of her hand. As we stood and listened, my ears picked the faint strains of a plaintive melody out of the hum.

"It sounds like it's…crying," Sheik said.

I nodded my head. "Like it's in pain."

"It _is_ in pain," Zelda said softly.

My legs carried me automatically over to Zelda. I stood and stared down at the stone. Reaching out a hand, I added my touch to the ruby. Warmth coursed through my body and the volume of the song rose, the grief in the tone reaching a crescendo. Deep ache rushed in on the wake of the heat. I pulled my hand away.

"I wonder…" I mused. With Zelda and Impa looking on, I reached into the folds of my clothing and pulled out the ocarina. The notes of the Song of Healing came easily to mind and I blew gently into the instrument. As the soothing melody wove its way around the ruby, the melancholy cry eased and faded. The gem burned brighter and heat radiated gently outward. As the light intensified, the ruby began pulsating steadily, and a small flame erupted from the tip. The fire lengthened and snaked its way around my wrist and Zelda's, burning brightly for a moment, glowing golden, then searing painlessly into our skin. The pulsating died down, and only a faint hum remained.

"I think the stone just thanked us," Zelda said, her eyes alight with wonder.

"Well, _now _I've seen everything."

Sheik stood and came to examine the stone. "I didn't even realize it had been affected so much by the poison."

Zelda stepped back and turned to us. "The poor thing was barely functioning. How about you guys start at the beginning and tell us what happened?"

As Zelda was speaking, I glanced at Sheik. He had extended a hand out to the stone, his quavering fingertips only an inch or so away, when a flame shot out of the stone and engulfed his hand. He jerked his hand away and the flame disappeared, his skin unmarked. The whole incident lasted less than a second. No one else seemed to have noticed the encounter. Zelda's words caught my attention.

"…and then we can decide where to send you next," Zelda finished. Sheik shook his head and turned his attention to Zelda.

"Well, Princess, when we got to the top of the mountain, the goddess appeared before us. She told us that the 'one who seeks to corrupt' was after this ruby. Whoever it was knew about it, but couldn't find its resting place, so they placed this gigantic worm inside the temple. The worm's secretions were highly flammable and that is what raised the lava levels so dramatically. Also, the secretions were very poisonous. The temple suffered a goodly amount of damage, and I suppose the stone was reflecting that. But it seems to be okay now…" he trailed off, his gaze returning to the ruby.

"How was the goddess?" Zelda asked, her hands clasped under her chin. "You know, the goddesses _never_ visit mortals."

"HMMPH!" Navi said, emerging from the folds of cloth. "That's what I told them. Link didn't even bother waking me!"

I rolled my eyes, ignoring the sprite on my shoulder. "The goddess was terrifying. She was magnificent…but bloody scary. Tall, statuesque, flowing robes, scarlet and gold hair, cat eyes like the bluest part of a flame, the presence of a warrior."

"Don't forget the purposefully cryptic statements and sarcastic remarks," Sheik said.

"She wore a circlet of rubies on her head that I believe came from this ruby here," I said, gesturing with my hand, "and I believe the Goron's Ruby was fashioned from it as well."

"Oh wow," Zelda breathed.

"What did the goddess say pertaining to the actual use of the stone?" Impa asked, her expression back under control.

Sheik answered. "The stone controls fire. All fire. To put it in a nutshell, if the villain gets the elemental stone, we're screwed. As the goddess so eloquently said, you can't fight fire with blade."

"Are there more stones?" Impa continued.

"At least two more, that we know about," I replied. "Water and wind. There could be more. The goddess did say, 'among other things.' Cryptic as hell."

Zelda began to pace. "Well, I think it would be safe to assume that this person has already tried or will try to seek out the other stones."

"Water could be in the Water Temple, or possibly somewhere in the Zora's territory," Impa said, following Zelda with her eyes.

"I agree. But as for wind...wind is more difficult," Zelda went on, now in full ponder-mode. "Wind…wind…Farore is typically associated with the forest…but the spell she gifted to you is called Farore's _Wind_. So the forest…or possibly the desert."

"If we presume that the Spiritual Stones were crafted from the elemental stones, then perhaps the Spiritual Stones were originally kept in close proximity to the elemental stones," Sheik suggested.

"True. So that would lead us to believe that the wind stone is in the forest, and the water one would be in the water somewhere," Zelda finished, coming to a stop in front of Sheik and I. "Arg! How does it fit though? How can finding elemental stones help this person release Ganondorf?"

"They don't have to be directly related," I said slowly. "Obviously, it's the same person…but they probably don't need the stones to release Ganondorf. However, they also wouldn't even need Ganondorf's powers to control the land if they_ had_ the stones. Maybe it's a back-up plan."

"Or maybe they're just a power-hungry bastard," Impa said dryly.

Zelda acknowledged her statement with a nod. "There haven't been any indications of evil influences in the other temples. Perhaps we can get the stones and prevent a repeat of the incidents in the Fire Temple. In fact, I think getting the stones should be our number one priority right now. If what the goddess says is true, and we have no reason to think she's lying, then we need to get those stones into safe-keeping ASAP. I'd rather not have an all-out elemental battle."

We nodded. "Agreed."

"The seal has been stable the last day or two, so we can concentrate our efforts more on this situation."

"Sounds good," I said.

"So now we just need to split you guys up and get you going."

I started to nod my head. "Alri—wait, what?"

"Split you guys up. It's common sense. You'll find the stones twice as fast. And Link, it's not like you haven't done this loads of times before on your own."

I stared at Zelda, my expression surely caught somewhere between surprise and a pout. "Yeah I know that, but Sheik doesn't have that much experience doing these things…"

"Link. Stop arguing with the Princess. You and Sheik will separate. You'll be fine. Sheik will be fine," Impa said, her tone final and unyielding.

Sheik and I looked at each other. Another argument sprang to my tongue, but a minute shake of Sheik's head made me swallow it. "Fine."

"Okay then. Sheik, I want you to search for the water stone. Link, search for the wind stone. Farore is your patron goddess. Perhaps you'll have better luck finding it," Impa added.

Glumly I nodded my acceptance. Sheik seemed entirely unenthusiastic about the situation as well.

Zelda snapped her fingers. "Oh! I almost forgot. We have new information on Nalan."

"Did Nabooru find something?" Sheik asked, rising to his feet.

"Not yet. But Impa and I were looking through the last couple censuses. The Gerudo generally don't respond to these, especially in years past; they like their anonymity, you know. However, we found records of one Sir Ralph and Lady Dalvia. A footnote said 'child: girl,' but past that no mention is made of her. They died as a result of one of the last nomadic raids."

"Nomadic raids?" I asked.

"Haven't you ever read _A History of Hyrule_?" Sheik questioned.

I rolled my eyes. "Nope, must have missed that one."

Zelda sighed and straightened, going into lecture mode. "Roughly forty or so years ago, in the early years of my father's reign, a tribe of lawless people made their home in the desert…

Rogue Gerudos, Sheikah, and Hylians comprised the band, along with other race-less vagabonds. A Sheikah by the name of Larron led the group. He possessed a great deal of charisma and cunning. His raids were always extremely well-planned and executed. People feared his very name. He caused my father much grief. Depending on the time of the year, he would target areas that would affect Hylians the most. Fields were razed, caravan merchants were slaughtered, wells were tainted."

"What fueled his hatred?" Navi asked.

"I am sorry to say that at that time the Sheikah tribes were being treated very, very badly. Hylians formed an unfounded hatred and prejudice towards them. Lone Sheikah were attacked and killed, just for sport. Larron's actions were in retaliation to these crimes. The other non-Sheikah who joined him just wanted to fight. My father's father was cruel; but as soon as my father gained the throne, he put into place immediate reforms. Unfortunately for many, it was too late. Larron made three more major raids after the laws against Sheikah cruelty were passed. I believe the last raid took the lives of Dalvia and Ralph."

"What made him stop?" I asked quietly.

"Legend has it that he fell in love, with a Hylian, no less," Sheik responded.

We sat in silence for a few minutes. Finally rousing myself, I stood. "Well, I need to get at least a few hours of sleep before I head back out. Sheik, shall we go?"

"You boys get some rest," Zelda said, standing up as well. "You can rest till dinner then depart. Sleep well."

Sheik and I nodded to Impa and exited the room, Navi following in our wake.

SPOV

Being a Sheikah, I found it very hard to admit to myself that I did not like the idea of leaving Link. Just fighting with him for the last couple of weeks showed me how reckless and stupid he could be at times. The very thought of him fighting alone made me nervous, despite constant reminders that he had done this type of stuff loads of times before, and came out alive.

I should be worried about myself, damnit!

But of course I was anxious about the Hero walking beside me, the one sporting that sensual sleepy/disheveled look.

"I don't like this. I don't like it at all," he muttered to himself.

"What?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Being separated from you." He held up his palms. "I _know_ you can take care of yourself, but I just…I don't know. I'm being stupid."

My insides went all warm and fuzzy. "I'll be fine, Link. I'm more worried about _you_. Who will be there to stop you from doing insanely idiotic stunts, or rushing into battle half-cocked?"

"I will, of course," Navi responded tartly, riding on Link's shoulder. Her icy civility hadn't faded since the fountain.

"Well thank the goddesses for that," I mumbled.

As we rounded the next bend, we came face-to-face with Valek, striding down the hall in black breeches and boots, as well as a black doublet whose sleeves were slashed to show the crimson shirt underneath.

He slowed down. "Good morning, Link, Sheik. I trust you fared well in the mountain?"

"Yes, we got everything back under control," Link replied. He shifted his weight. "The town looks a far sight better than it did when we left."

"Oh yes. We worked tirelessly to set the village to rights. With the help of the Sages and townsfolk, we were able to clear the debris and get the framework up for the new buildings. The unity showcased by Hylians is astounding. They really come together in hard times."

"Indeed. They are a strong group of people who just happen to have the most rotten luck in the world," Link said wryly.

"Valek, have you discovered anything more about that Darknut, like where it came from?" I interjected.

He shifted his gaze. "No, Sheik, I have not yet had the time. But perhaps today I can look into the matter." He glanced past me.

I inclined my head. "That would be helpful. I apologize. Are we keeping you from breakfast?"

"Oh, no, you are fine. My mother has come to visit the castle today. I was just on my way to see that the receiving room is prepared. _I_ should apologize; I believe I am keeping you two from much-needed rest. Good luck on your quests." With a slight bow, he took his leave.

We watched him walk away. "That man is way too handsome for his own good," Link grumbled.

"WHAT?" Navi yelled. "I thought you liked Sheik?"

Link's face turned a brilliant shade of red, despite the fact that the state of our relationship was pretty obvious, especially seeing as how we'd already…er…hmm…

"Well, of course I do. And I don't like Valek! I mean, not like that. I'm just _saying_," he said, drawing out the word, "that he probably could coast through most proper channels in life on his looks alone. And lots of people fall for pretty faces and don't care to look beyond them."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed Link's hand, hauling him down the hall. "Oh, and like you don't coast through channels on looks alone already."

Link growled and yanked me against his chest, his eyes glaring into mine. "I do not _coast_."

"Mmhmm," I replied, laying the skepticism on thick. He growled in response and lowered his lips to mine.

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT'S HOLY! DON'T START AGAIN!" Navi yelled, zooming in between our faces. I laughed and backed up and Link spluttered indignantly. Link kept my hand firmly in his grasp. "Honestly, you two are unbelievable!" she cried. "Just a couple of hours ago, in the fountain, and now, in the hall?" She huffed dramatically. "Get to bed. NOW!"

Link and I laughed our way down the hall and fell into bed, all the physical exertion catching up to us and exhaustion slamming into us like a brick wall. We murmured goodnights and extinguished the lamps. I didn't even bother to remove my boots as I let sleep claim me, my hand still held safely within Link's.

* * *

Early the next morning, I sat on Samar in my brand new suit. I hoped Zelda was paying Zitori and Irys overtime for all the extra work they'd been doing on our outfits.

My newest wardrobe addition was a deep, watery blue, with the now-typical skin-tight style and knee-high boots. Of course, the opal fish scales and silver accents were a new addition to my chest, back and lower legs, as were the matching silver webbed gauntlets and over-boots that I would use once I actually got _in_ the water. The black fitted hood contained a Zora Scale, allowing me to breathe for as long as I wanted to underwater.

I looked with dismay over at Link. He had gleefully shed the 'ninja clothes' this morning and settled back into his Kokiri tunic ("It's only fitting!" was his reasoning). I was sad to see the clothes go.

My heart sank even further as he checked the last of his supplies. He and Epona were headed off to the Forest. I was headed to Zora's Domain, and then possibly the Lake. _You're being unreasonable_, I chided myself. _Suck it up! Stop being such a pansy!_

His eyes met mine and I smiled, pushing the anxiety to the back of my mind. I had a mission to complete. The thought was a sobering one.

My actions could quite literally dictate the fate of a nation. _Oh god…_

I quickly shifted gears back into the goal-oriented, ice-cold, bad ass Sheikah.

Nothing could stop me. I'd get the damn stone.

LPOV

I watched in amazement as Sheik's entire demeanor changed. He sat tall on Samar, silent and proud.

_Gah! Calm down!_ I scolded myself. _He's a trained warrior. He'll be fine._

Despite my pep talk, my heart beat out an erratic rhythm. I knew I could handle this. Could Sheik?

Author Note: Okay, as you can probably tell, this chapter is a heck of a lot shorter than any of the last ten or so chapters I've posted. I need feedback here: would you rather have longer chapters, and therefore longer waits, or shorter chapters and shorter waits? It's not like the content of the chapters will suffer. For example, instead of posting everything that I was going to put in this chapter as just one chapter, I've divided it into three chapters, each with about 3,000 words, give or take a little. Writing 3,000 words in one sitting is a lot easier than writing 10,000 words in one sitting.

Let me know.

Oh, and I realize that there was, gasp, no smut in this chapter (!). Don't worry. Be patient. ;)


	14. Whence Comes the Wind

Chapter 14 Whence Comes the Wind

**Author Note**: Thank you to all of my reviewers, and the input they gave me: Hunter of Darkness, Illyric, lydia2693, Dragongal333, SurunasuGirl-24, sara-faramir, Marlin Lette, Master Sapphire 69, Jae, Ryukai-MJ, and cheesy lasagana!

So many lovely reviews! I got this chapter out in such a timely manner for you guys!

I have decided to go with shorter chapters (anywhere from 3000-6000 words). So hopefully I'll be able to get my story to you faster!

Also, this chapter is a little darker. That's all I have to say. You have been warned.

Enjoy!

SPOV

Emotions warred within me. Despite my attempts to quell the apprehensions welling in my chest, they seeped through anyway. The skin on the back of my neck prickled uncomfortably and my feeling of imminent danger increased exponentially. On top of all that, the desire to have some sort of physical contact with Link was nearly overwhelming. I slanted a glance sideways at him. Our paths would be diverging in only a few short moments, Link's continuing on to the Kokiri, mine veering off to Zora's Domain. I had to be strong.

As the fork in the path drew closer, my heart raced. I knew I was being ridiculous. Link and I would only be apart for a day or two at the most. Hell, a couple days apart would probably do us good. Besides, we were both trained warriors. I had _nothing _to worry about. And yet…

Link pulled Epona up short as we finally came to the crossroads. I opened my mouth to deliver the traditional words of departure, but when he turned to me and smiled, I lost it.

Springing in one smooth motion from Samar to Epona, I latched my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. Epona sidled beneath us, irritated at the sudden extra weight. Link only had time to put a steadying arm around my back and squeak in surprise before I covered the sound of it with my mouth. He recovered quite quickly. Our lips and teeth and tongues were a confusion of wet heat and breath and _oh_, nothing compared to kissing Link.

The bittersweet edge of parting made me tighten my hold around Link's neck and arch into his body. He moaned softly and moved his hands up to frame my face, taking control of the kiss. Using his tongue, he memorized the contours of my mouth and lips, all the while tracing my face with his fingers. I whined deep in my throat, the feelings he elicited almost unbearable. Involuntarily my hips ground down into his and he broke the kiss and gasped. Taking advantage of his exposed neck, I kissed and sucked every inch of the exposed skin, taking my time to lick the collarbone and the cleft between his jaw and ear. His groans increased until he roughly pulled my head back up for another searing kiss, his lips bruising mine. Longing exploded in my gut and I could have happily stayed there, snogging him until kingdom come, plundering his mouth and savoring it as mine. But I noticed that Link was slowing the kisses, his hands running down my back in a calming manner, instead of straining me against him. I pressed one last passionate kiss to his mouth. Calling on every ounce of self-control I possessed, I pulled back.

His eyes burned with desire, but also with understanding. "Sheik. Be careful please."

I nodded. I couldn't trust myself not to say something ridiculous like "come back, don't leave me" or some other such nonsense.

"We'll be together again in a matter of hours…so try to stay alive for that long," he added with a grin.

I found my voice. "I could say the same for you. I'd rather you stay in one piece."

He chuckled and squeezed my hands a final time before lifting me up and setting me on Samar, who had come to stand by Epona. Breathing deep, I reined in my errant emotions.

"Till then," Link said with a crooked grin, his hand lifted in a half-wave. I raised my hand in farewell and watched as he turned Epona and urged her into a gallop.

My bout of self-indulgence over, I pointed Samar west and headed forward at a brisk trot. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Looking up, I noticed the storm clouds gathering in the North. They did not bode well for the journey ahead.

LPOV

I could still taste Sheik's kiss on my lips as Epona thundered across Hyrule Field. Her hooves echoed the muted rumbles issuing from the north. Electricity danced across my skin as my mind replayed the ardent encounter: his body arching into mine, the pressure of his hips, the feel of his lips and tongue on my neck. My desire raged within my body, making itself known farther south. I thanked the goddesses for finally having the tunic back, as it served well to hide the bulge in my tights.

The entrance to Kokiri came into view as I topped the hill by Lon Lon. A fleeting glance up showed the sky to have blackened considerably. Lightning flashed brilliantly across the heavens, followed almost instantaneously by a deafening crack of thunder. Epona neighed and lengthened her stride, bringing us closer and closer to the Forest.

As we neared the tunnel, the darkness thickened rapidly, abnormally. Shadows fell over the land and multiplied, growing thicker, becoming palpable and pressing, containing a distinct edge of evil. I could feel it against my eyes and the back of my hands. I trusted Epona to move forward on instinct alone, for the sky was pitch black. I opened and closed my eyes several times, trying to force them to adjust, but I may as well have been blind. A sharp wind passed over my body and I shivered.

Slight feelings of panic stirred in my chest. Although thunder continued to boom overhead, the lightning that I knew must surely be there somewhere did not penetrate the darkness. Epona was still moving forward, but I had no clue as to our location. My paranoia increased. The hairs on my neck rose moments before I distinctly felt hot breath brush my neck. I jerked forward and whipped my sword out of its scabbard, twisting around as I did so. Careful of Epona's head, I swung the sword in a wide arc, a tiny corner of my mind acknowledging that I must look ridiculous. Something hissed by my ear and moved away with a 'whooshing' noise. Epona's hooves struck the wood of the tunnel and the darkness vanished as suddenly as it had come. In the safety of the tunnel, I turned Epona and looked out over the Field. The sky remained dark and cloud-laden, but there was no sign of the malevolent shadows from before. Storing the experience for later reflection, I pushed Epona forward.

The thick canopy of trees overhead blocked out the dark clouds as we passed over the ancient wooden bridge. Motes of dust danced in the rays of light, pure and unsullied, unlike the light in the field. Navi stirred and came out of my hat, yawning hugely, her sleep having been uninterrupted by the thunder.

I expected the Kokiri children to be outside when I arrived, milling about, playing hide-and-go-seek as they are often wont to do, but none were around. Saria hadn't been at the castle when Sheik and I arrived, and Zelda had not mentioned her. Dismounting Epona and leaving her at the entrance, I strode forward into the village.

The wind swirled around me, echoing strangely in the absolute silence. My heart sped up involuntarily and my hackles rose.

"Link…" Navi said, her tone hesitant and wary.

I nodded in acknowledgment of the situation. The sword gave a slight hiss as I pulled it free of the scabbard and continued to advance slowly, casting my eyes about constantly. Suddenly, a scream I had unconsciously expected wrenched the air and set me sprinting toward the Great Deku Tree's clearing.

My breath deserted me and I slammed to a halt as I rounded the final bend, the sight before me horrifying and captivating all at once.

A group of Kokiri children, bloodied and disheveled, huddled betwixt the roots of the Great Tree. Saria, her eyes blazing green with power, her hair whipping about her head, was clearly engaged in a violent duel with a terrible creature.

The creature towered over Saria, clad in black armor covered in bloody spikes. It held no weapon, though a sword was strapped to its back. The thing hovered above the ground, spinning and dodging and returning volleys at every opportunity.

Violent red balls of energy fired from his hands in quick succession toward Saria. As they hurtled closer to her, she crossed her arms over her chest and shouted, then threw them wide, a wave of green light and power shooting outward and dissipating the curses. The creature hung suspended for a moment, stunned by the blow. Raising her arms above her head, she cried out in a foreign tongue. Green light enveloped her and gathered energy. As the monster began to stir, she flung out both hands and the green light zoomed toward the creature and encased it. Giving a loud roar, the monster writhed in pain. The creature pushed the light away from its body slightly. Free to move again, it turned to face me. Its glowing red eyes connected with mine for an instant, the challenge clear within them, before it disappeared.

Saria's eyes returned to their normal color and the wind stopped swirling about her. She dropped to her knees and panted for breath. My feet finally became un-rooted and I dashed forward.

"Saria! Are you okay?" I asked, kneeling in front of her.

"I am, but others are not so lucky," she answered, raising her head. Tears flowed down her face and mingled with the blood and dirt already there. Her eyes sought something behind me. My heart thudded with dread. I placed a hand on her shoulder and rose slowly, my feet heavy as lead.

I turned and moved forward automatically, drawn inexorably closer to the crumpled green figure I had failed to notice earlier.

Navi flew past me. Wails and shouts reached my ears from a long way off. I knew who it was already. But even that could not stop a harsh cry of anguish from erupting from my throat as Mido's blank and lifeless face came into view. I knelt by his side. His fairy, Farif, gave a long keening cry of agony. Navi had her arm around his shoulder and was openly sobbing. Tears rolling unchecked down my face, I placed a hand over his eyes and gently closed them. I sat back.

A hand fell softly on my head and stroked. "How?" I croaked.

"An energy ball to the chest. He fell protecting me," Saria sniffled. "The attack was so sudden. The others…have incurred injuries. The children were playing tag, lunch approaching, when shadows descended on the grove. I gathered them in the clearing. Mido was helping me, trying to calm them. He was so brave," her voice broke, but she continued. "We were erecting a barrier when it came. I was trying to finish the spell. I heard Mido yelling and I turned in time to see him get hit squarely in the chest, right above the heart." She clenched her fists and squeezed her eyes shut. "It has gone to the Forest Temple. I can feel it Link. Go now. Find it. Kill it. Do not let Mido die in vain!" she cried, finally dissolving into heart-wrenching sobs. I gathered her in my arms and stroked her back. The other children, healing fairies attending to their wounds, formed a circle around Mido. They joined hands and raised their eyes. With a shudder and a sigh, they opened their mouths and sang the Song of Passing, something rarely invoked among the Kokiri. The song tore at my heart, its very notes weeping in grief.

I kissed Saria on the head. "You have my word. I shall return soon."

Standing, I pulled out the ocarina. In a flurry of notes, I was gone.

Zelda POV

I swiped away the last traces of my tears as the door silently opened.

"Impa, Saria has sent word. The boy Mido has died."

Impa sighed and shook her head. She raised a hand to cover her weary eyes. "Casualties are an inevitable part of war…but a Kokiri child? They go too far."

My heart wept within me. Death of any kind struck me hard, but an innocent child? That was almost too much to bear.

"She added that Link has gone off in a blaze of righteous anger to hunt down the monster that did this. I hope he doesn't do anything too rash." I knew Link well. He had always been heavily affected by deaths, taking it personally and making it his business to avenge the losses.

"Do not fear, Princess. He has much more at stake this time," Impa said, her eyes full of meaning.

My heart lightened slightly. "Ah yes, the fair Sheik. How amazing their bond is. You have noticed it, have you not?" I asked. She nodded and I continued. "I find it incredible, really. Link knew Sheik only as me all those years ago, and yet…it seems that maybe despite the fact that that was _me_ in control, Link still somehow managed to connect with Sheik inside. When they walked in the room, that first day, the force of their tie was nearly overwhelming. It was as if they had known each other every day of their life."

"I know what you mean, Princess. Like they were fashioned for each other alone."

"Exactly! The way they work together, how they bounce things off each other, the give and take they share—it's amazing to watch. I shall do all that is within my power to protect those two so they may further develop their relationship once all this mess is over with. I believe they are well on their way to being in love already."

"As much as I do not believe in love at first sight, or hasty love in general, Princess, I must agree with you there. They are truly one-of-a-kind. They have the makings of a true love, as terribly corny as that sounds."

I giggled. "You sound corny just _saying _corny."

The corner of Impa's mouth lifted and her eyes softened. "Just do not repeat what I said to anyone, ne?"

LPOV

"Come and find me, stupid Hylian! Just try to avenge the death of that meddling child!"

Blood pounded in my ears and I took several deep, calming breaths. The harsh, arrogant voice echoed throughout the temple, taunting me, trying to incense me and make me lose my reason.

It was damn near working.

Mido's face was behind my eyelids every time I blinked. The bastard's words were not helping.

Standing in the middle of the main room, just in front of the lift, with Navi keeping watch, I blocked out his words and expanded my mind.

The Wind Stone. Going by what I knew from the Fire Stone, it should be located somewhere close to center of the temple. Of course, with all the different levels and sprawling wings, the "middle" was rather hard to define. The monster was another complication, just one more thing to impede my progress.

The monster…with glowing red eyes.

Several things clicked at once. The monster that had attacked Saria was a phantom…of the real fiend that had razed Kakariko. My thoughts raced. Somehow, the person behind this _knew_ what transpired in Ganondorf's time. They were copying his tactics. Not enough to be labeled a copycat, but pretty damn close.

"Fucking villains," I muttered and opened my eyes. Navi gave a grunt of agreement. The very fact that she wasn't slapping me upside the head proved how upset she was over Mido's death. She grieved for the fairy, Farif, who would just…go away, or at least that was how Navi explained it. A fairy only binds to one child, she said, and if that child were to die…then the fairy has no reason to exist anymore.

I shook my head and lifted my gaze to her, grateful that she was here with me. "Pick a direction, any direction, Navi. It matters not to me."

She took a moment to look around. "Why not try downstairs? Perhaps it's in one of the rooms down there."

"Your guess is as good as mine. Let's go."

The elevator conveyed us swiftly to the lowest floor of the Temple. "Okay Navi, I'll push the wall, you check the rooms that open."

"Got it."

We worked steadily, me straining to push a whole damn wall and Navi scanning the rooms. Anything out-of-the-ordinary looking was thoroughly searched, but after nearly two hours, we had nothing to show for our work. I hoped Sheik was having better luck than we were.

"Din damn it."

"At least we can check this room off the map," Navi said, trying to cheer me.

"Yeah, and only a hundred or so left to go."

Navi grinned slightly. "Well then, I suggest you get moving."

"Arg!" I cried in frustration, throwing up my hands and storming back into the main room. "Damn temple! Why is the stone so fucking difficult to find? I found the Fire one _easily_. And this is supposed to be the home or whatever to my 'patron goddess.' If that's so, then why the _fuck_ is this so fucking difficult!?"

Navi floated by my head, un-phased by my anger. "Because you had Sheik with you."

"The stupid sto—wait, what did you say?"

"I said," she answered slowly, "that you had Sheik with you before. That's why it was easier."

"Are you suggesting I can't do this on my own?" I asked, my voice deceptively calm.

"Of course not. You've done stuff like this before, have you not? I'm merely saying that you had him there to help you. With him there, you could focus solely on the task at hand. And don't forget the fact that Din gave you a few helpful pointers."

I sighed in dejection. "Where is Farore when you need her?"

"_You had only to ask, my little Hero_."

My heart literally tried to escape my chest. I spun around and came face-to-face with my patron goddess. "Farore," I breathed.

She laughed gently, her voice like a breath of wind ("How fitting," I thought). "_That I am. My dear Link,_ _what ails you_?"

Not that I was biased or anything, but I found Farore to be far superior in looks to Din. Of course, it might be the fact that she lacked the I-could-crush-you-if-I-even-thought-about–wanting-to look that Din sported. Her skin was not green, as I secretly thought it might have been, but rather was lightly tanned, like a tan of early summer. She did have, however, green hair. I had never thought green hair on anyone besides Saria could be beautiful, but after seeing the goddess, my opinion took a one-eighty degree turnabout. Her hair, lightly curled, hung to her waist in shimmering emerald waves. Her gown was deceptively simple, vacillating between brilliant shades of green, sleeveless with a draping neckline, gathered at the waist with a braided golden belt, the skirt falling delicately to the floor. Golden sandals matching her belt covered her feet. She too wore a circlet around her head, this one composed of glittering emeralds. Her peridot eyes twinkled kindly as she tilted her head to the side, waiting for my reply.

Giving a quick shake of my head (I was kind of getting used to the whole conversing with goddesses thing), I answered, "A Kokiri child has been killed."

Sorrow suddenly radiated from her eyes. "_Poor Mido. He died protecting the person he loved most. The Kokiri lost one of their best this day_."

"I know. He and I disagreed over some things, but we were always in agreement over keeping Saria safe."

"_There is something else, is there not_?"

"Isn't there always?" I asked rhetorically. "I seek your stone, the Wind Stone. The man who killed Mido cannot acquire this stone. I must do so before him."

"_Ah yes. You speak of the Gaoth Mor. Din told me you have taken her Aingeal Mor into safe keeping._"

"Yes, we were able to snatch it from the hands, or should I say folds? of destruction."

"_Dear Link, always doing what is best for those around you. The stone you seek lies within the temple, deep, _**deep** _within the temple. But I would suggest you defeat the monster first. He is waiting for you._"

"Hmm…is there any possible way, goddess, that you could tell me_ where_ the stone is located? As appealing as continuing an incredibly frustrating search sounds, I'd rather not."

She chuckled and I grimaced, knowing what was coming. "_And where would the fun be in that, dear one? You can do it. I know you can._"

I sighed, quite unwilling to argue with a goddess.

"_There is one other thing, yes?_"

Damn nosy goddesses.

"Farore…I met Sheik truly for the first time seemingly the other day. From the moment I met him, however, I felt a connection forge between us, one that was impossibly strong. I feel for him like I have never felt for another, and yet, I've only just met him! The give and take between us is so easy, so natural, that I can't…I don't…ugh…I am worried that perhaps I am being too hasty?" I said, my statement ending as a question.

The goddess's face broke into a true smile. "_Link, do not despair that you feel so strongly already for the young Sheikah. He is your match in every way. Few are so lucky to find their missing half._"

Relief flooded my body. I desired Sheik, obviously, but it went far deeper. I wanted to just be in the same space as him. I wanted to discuss different subject matters, compare opinions, argue, banter, play, _love_ Sheik.

"_Link, you have a task to complete. I will see you again. Navi, keep him safe._"

"Wait!" I called, but my cry fell on empty air as the goddess vanished.

Damn goddesses. At least I was semi-used to it.

"Well, you got to see a goddess, Navi," I said, looking down at the shell-shocked fairy on my shoulder.

"Nnngh," she replied.

"Funny. That was what I said when I met Din. Okay, so that meeting wasn't exactly helpful."

Navi stirred out of her stupor. "She gave you a clue. 'Deep, deep' within the temple. We searched the basement. What's deeper than the basement?"

Lightning struck me and I slapped a palm to my forehead. "I am such an idiot. Not necessarily the _center_ of the temple, but the _oldest_ part of the temple. And a deep old part, too."

"So you know?"

"I'm almost one hundred percent sure."

"Well?" she prompted.

I grinned. "Exactly."

* * *

"Who would have thought one of the most important artifacts in the world would be in an obsolete, slimy old _well_?" Navi asked, carefully adhering to my clothing to keep from dirtying her wings.

"No one. That's why she put it here." I ran my hands all over the wall, across every brick. My hands were positively filthy.

"I wonder how Sheik's doing?" Navi asked after a few minutes, fluttering her wings.

"Once we finish up here, we'll drop this off at the castle and go help him, if he isn't finished already," I answered absently.

As I slid sideways, feeling for more bricks, my boot caught on a slightly uneven stone and almost sent me sprawling into the frigid standing water. I caught myself on the wall as Navi latched onto a lock of my hair.

"Ouch!" I cried.

"What are you doing?" she shrieked.

"I tripped!"

"On what?" she yelled back.

"I don't know!" Rubbing my sore foot and head simultaneously, I knelt down to run my hands over the stones at my feet. "She did say 'deep, deep.' I suppose beneath the floor of the lowest part of the temple would be considered 'deep, deep,' don't you think?"

Navi flew down to examine the stone. "I think you may be right."

Conjuring a fistful of fire, I held it aloft as I traced the stone. It was roughly the size of a dinner plate, and raised only a tiny fraction above the others. A tiny, almost imperceptible Kokiri emerald was carved into the outer rim. It was a miracle that I had tripped over the stone.

My excitement mounting, I withdrew a small dagger and began loosening the mortar around the edges. Navi intently watched my progress. The damp atmosphere made freeing the edges relatively easy.

I placed my hand over the stone and closed my eyes. Thrumming warmth reverberated through my hand and up my arm. I smiled in satisfaction. "It's here."

"Perfect," a cold voice hissed. "I appreciate you locating it."

My dagger was embedded in his left shoulder before he even had time to get the whole message out. Only by sheer luck had the dagger found the chink in his armor. The phantom gasped and reeled backwards.

"So that's how it's going to be? Fine!" Smacking his hands together, red light exploded outward, slamming me back against the wall. I knew from painful experience that my gilded sword did _not _repel powerful magical attacks, at least in Hyrule. Only the Master Sword was capable of that. Thinking quickly, I pulled out the only sword that might possibly stand a chance against this guy's dark curses.

Although the Great Fairy's Sword dealt a serious blow to my masculinity every time I used it, desperate times called for desperate measures.

As his next volley of curses shot toward me, I executed a magically powered spin attack. Light exploded outward from my sword, the magic of the Termina fairies and the magic of the Hyrule fairies combining and multiplying, buffeting each other to new heights of power. The light knocked the phantom back. The taunting grin disappeared and his eyes hardened.

"You want to play dirty?" His next attack, an invisible ball of energy, took me completely by surprise. Only Navi's cry of warning allowed me to sidestep in time. The ball barely grazed my arm, yet agonizing pain shot through my entire body.

Mido's face, and the pain he must have endured, flashed through my mind. I roared and charged.

My sudden offensive maneuver left him scrambling. He withdrew his sword as I neared, discarding the magic for the moment. His sword positively dripped evil. White against black, our swords met again and again. He was excellent, but was tiring quickly. I could tell his main strengths lay in magical offense, not sword defense. Besides, I had some avenging to do.

My sword found an opening and bit into his shoulder. The flesh hissed and he screeched in pain. He suddenly slammed his palm downward, reminding me of my own magic spell. The resulting wave of energy landed me flat on my back, the wind completely knocked out of me. I heard Navi yelling and saw a blur of movement from above. Raising my arm suddenly, the phantom landed squarely on my sword, impaling himself upon it, forcing a grunt of pain from me as my elbow slammed into the ground under the weight. His glowing red eyes faded to nothingness. A wind swept through the well. His body disintegrated as the breeze touched it. My arm collapsed and I lay there gasping for breath.

As I attempted to sit up, I was swiftly reminded of his first attack that had smashed me into the wall and had apparently broken a few ribs. I groaned and lay still.

"Hold on, Link!" Navi said, her voice shrill. She flew into my pouch and rummaged for a moment before returning with a released bottled fairy.

The fairy flew around me, trailing her healing powers over me. I could feel the bones re-aligning and knitting back together in my ribs. It certainly wasn't painless. She then concentrated on my elbow, which had apparently shattered under the force of its hitting the ground. I bit my lip to stop the scream.

Once she finally finished, I sat up gingerly, my ribs still a tad sore. I crawled back over to the raised stone.

"Let's get this beast out of here," I muttered. Using my retrieved dagger and another small knife, I pried the stone loose. After many minutes of tugging and swearing, I got the stone completely out of the hole.

"There it is," Navi whispered.

I reached carefully into the opening and drew it out slowly. The stone positively glowed at the touch of my hands. A light breeze caressed my face and I closed my eyes in wonder.

The huge emerald felt so strange in my hands. It was warm like a product of the earth, but light as wind at the same time. I figured the goddess wanted both of her associations represented in the stone. My ears picked up on the faint melody emitting from the stone, a lively tune, much like the Minuet of the Forest that Sheik taught me. I smiled and cradled it to my chest.

"Let's get this to Zelda."

I was ready to see Sheik.

**Author Note**: Oho! Lots of stuff in this chapter.

In other news, gaoth means 'wind' in Gaelic.

The next chapter is mostly written. If you guys leave me reviews, I might get it out a couple days early!!


	15. All Alone

Chapter 15 All Alone

Thank you so much to all of my reviewers: Hunter of Darkness, lydia2693, Illyric, Master Sapphire 69, Aerin of the Bow, SurunasuGirl-24, Dragongal333, Marlin Lette, Ryukai-MJ, Miss Alise, Sammyjae, Nostarion, and Okamihanyou-Lin!

Wooot! Tons of wonderful reviews! I'm sorry I didn't get the chapter out as early as I promised. Here are my excuses: last week was pure hell, with multiple major tests every day, and then I went with my family to the beach and took my laptop, fully planning on finishing up the chapter and posting it, but to my horror, the internet wasn't working. SO, I returned home last night and took today to revise and such, and here's the chapter!

This chapter, unfortunately, does not contain any sex of any kind (sorry SurunasuGirl-24, and the rest of you who are holding out for it!). All I can say is, be patient!

Enjoy!

LPOV

"I assume you've heard about Mido?" I asked first, standing in the middle of Zelda's office, the Gaoth Mor cradled in my arms.

She nodded and stood, still wearing her ornate scarlet and gold dinner gown, even though it was nearly three in the morning. "Saria contacted us. My heart weeps for poor Mido. He died a Hero's death, protecting those he loved. He shall be given a proper Hero's burial tomorrow." Her eyes trailed down to the gem I held. "I see you were successful."

"Yes, but what a great price it was." Walking forward, I placed the stone gently on Zelda's desk. "I killed the monster. It was a powerful phantom of the perpetrator from Kakariko, or at least that is what I believe. Even as a mere replica, he had an extensive amount of magical prowess."

"Then I am happy to know that you have vanquished him. But it is just further evidence that the one behind all of this has an inside knowledge of what went on in the other time."

"A copycat, of sorts," Impa suggested, moving away from the mantle of the fireplace.

"Or similar enough to let us _know_ that he knows," I answered back, acknowledging her with a nod of my head.

"Where is Navi?" Impa asked, returning the salute.

"She went to offer her aid and comfort to the other Kokiri children and fairies. Once she finishes, she'll meet up with me," I explained.

Zelda reached out and gingerly lifted the stone. "How beautiful," she murmured. "Link, let me show you the house I have constructed for the Elemental Stones." She moved to stand in front of the hearth. Muttering a few foreign words, a floor tile shifted and a plinth constructed of travertine rose from the ground. The Aingeal Mor sat in the very center, protected by a glowing web of golden magic.

"I am the sole person who can access the Elemental Stones. Watch." Another couple of uttered words dispelled the web and left the gems unguarded. Zelda delicately placed the emerald to the right of the ruby. Both stones glowed brightly at the proximity of the other, and a new melody poured forth, sweet and perfectly in harmony. The web reassembled and the plinth sank back into the floor.

"Are you quite sure they're safe there?" I questioned, my voice holding no small amount of dubiousness.

"Of course," she replied, only looking slightly offended as she moved back to her desk. "Have you heard from Sheik?"

"No." I furrowed my brow. "Actually, I thought he would have been back by now."

Zelda sighed. "Link, he's never done something like this on his own before. You couldn't have expected him to just waltz in and immediately locate the stone. He isn't you," Zelda responded, her hands steepled and her gaze intent on the fire.

Huffing in both annoyance and acknowledgement, I perched on the arm of one of the chairs and dropped my hat onto the seat.

"Can you not contact him?" Impa asked, shifting her eyes from Zelda to me. "Zelda _did _give you the means to contact each other."

"Oh. Right. I almost forgot," I muttered, a dull blush stealing into my cheeks. My gaze skirted to the floor.

Impa rolled her eyes. "By all means Link, any day now would be great."

Restraining my own eye roll, I took out the actual gem that contained the spell. My other spells could be used without actually holding the gems, but since this one was new, I figured I shouldn't take any chances.

"How does it work?" I asked, glancing at Zelda, rolling the object between my fingers.

"It will connect you with his mind, provided he has the stone on his person. Just concentrate. Expand your mind. Send your thoughts to Sheik."

Throwing a semi-self-conscious look towards the other two, I looked down at the stone. The familiar rise of heat that came with casting spells welled within me and I heaved a deep breath. Closing my eyes, I concentrated my energy.

I felt a sudden tightening in my mind, like the tugging of a taunt rope. My body seized up and I drew in a shuddering breath.

"Relax Link," Zelda murmured, her voice soft and reassuring. Allowing the pull to lead me, I relaxed my body and went with the flow.

I pictured Sheik in my mind. "_Sheik_," I said, not out loud, trying to force my thoughts in his direction, wherever that may be.

A black tunnel formed in my mind's eye. The darkness was warm and…fluid. I floated along, unable to see anything except the round black, for several minutes.

Abruptly a room appeared before my eyes. I looked down on the square, barren room from the ceiling of one of the corners. The room was completely empty except for a small table. On it rested all of Sheik's possessions: the whip and Shadow Sword; his throwing knives and Deku Nuts; the harp, bow, spell and hookshot. Further scanning of the room showed nothing. It lacked even a door. I tried to will my body into the chamber, but the tugging started again, this time leading me back. As the last remnants of the room faded from my mind's eye, a piercing, horribly familiar scream split the air, full of pain.

"SHEIK!" I shouted, my eyes shooting open. I fell forward and lay gasping on the ground for a moment, unable to move.

"Link! What did you see?" Impa asked, rushing forward and lifting me into a sitting position.

"A room," I gasped, "with Sheik's things. I heard Sheik scream. I think he's in trouble."

"How did you see this if he didn't have the stone?" Zelda asked quickly, kneeling by my side and slipping an arm around my waist. She and Impa hauled me to my feet. Zelda thrust a glass of wine into my hands. "Drink," she ordered. "You're pale as death."

"I don't know. The room appeared out of nowhere. I tried to will myself in there, but it didn't work." I took a gulp of the wine and coughed.

"I'm shocked that you were able to see anything at all. The stone is for contacting and warping to the person, provided that they have the stone _on _them. That you were able to see what you did is astounding. Did you recognize the room?"

I shook their arms off and dropped the glass on the table. "No. I need to go now. He's in trouble. I can feel it." Scooping up my discarded hat, I snatched the ocarina out of my pouch and raised it to my mouth.

Zelda stayed my hand. "Wait, Link. You don't even know where he's located. Just wait for a moment." Taking a few steps back, she lifted her hands and made a series of complicated gestures. Blue light filled the room and then Ruto appeared in front of her.

I bit back a gasp. Ruto sported a long gash, stretching from her shoulder almost to her navel.

Ruto hit her knees, her hands covering the wound. "Zelda, there is trouble."

SPOV

_Quite a Few Hours Earlier_

Standing in front of the waterfall-covered entrance to Zora's Domain, my harp at the ready, the rain began to fall. The sky was incredibly dark, but with eyes to see the truth, what's a little darkness?

I strummed my fingers. Zelda's soothing lullaby, sung to me when I was a baby, rolled from my fingers almost reflexively. The pressure of the water eased and parted. Stowing my harp, I leapt easily across the gap and entered the Domain.

Up ahead, I spotted four Zora guards hidden in the shadows, waiting to ambush intruders. Their spears, topped by two wicked long-knives, dully reflected the light thrown off of the water. I decided I'd rather not become a Zora shish kabob.

"I am Sheik, of the Sheikah. Princess Zelda sent me and I believe Princess Ruto is expecting me," I announced, keeping my voice even and non-threatening. They did not relax their stance until an imperious voice carried down the corridor.

"At your ease, sentinels." Ruto appeared behind them, clad in racy armor that revealed and enhanced more than it protected. "Sheik. Come with me."

Her tone was much more stern and commanding than it had been at the banquet. I figured that as a princess, she must possess _some _leadership qualities, and they must manifest during difficult times.

She led me down the stairs and to the edge of the water. "Follow me," she demanded. Not waiting around for a reply, she executed a graceful dive into the water. I quickly shoved my hands and feet into their webbed counterparts, raised my special cowl, and followed suit.

She swam to the bottom of the pool and around the backside of the solitary stone platform. At the complex motion she made with her hands, a portion of the rock slid back, revealing a plain anteroom. I followed her into the small enclosure. The rock slipped back into place behind us and the walls suddenly trembled. Holes appeared that drained the water. In a matter of seconds, I was back to breathing regular air.

Ruto spun around to face me, her expression deadly serious. "Sheik. Zelda contacted me and told me about the Elemental Stones. I have something to show you." Turning back to the blank wall, she traced an invisible sign on the stone then moved to stand beside me. "I discovered this room through my extensive study of the Zoras and all of their legends and such." We both watched as a gentle light outlined a door-sized section of the wall. The light spread to cover the whole doorway, and then dissipated, leaving an open entryway.

"Wow. How did you find out how to open that?" I asked, impressed.

"Through more reading and lots of embarrassing guess work. Come." She strode into the room and snapped her fingers. Fire flared in the torches and lit the room.

"Goddesses," I murmured. The room was circular, roughly twenty feet across. Shining marble with veins of gold and silver covered the floor and ceiling. Golden filigree decorated the borders. On the walls, murals painted with the most vivid and brilliant of colors covered every inch. Nothing sat within the chamber save a small raised dais.

"This room, up until a few hours ago, contained a map that rested on that podium. When I first discovered this room, I looked over the map, but could make neither heads nor tails of it. I figured it was important, so I left it. I believe, after Zelda explained to me about the stones, that it leads to a key that opens the chamber that houses the Elemental Stone of Water."

"So…do you know _where _the stone is kept?"

"Of course," she replied. "Well, I think I know. It has to be in Zora's Fountain. I mean, Zora's Fountain is the source of all the water in Hyrule. It would only make sense for the source of the source of the water to be there."

"Indeed," I murmured, trying to keep up with her reasoning. "And I'm guessing that the Stone cannot be accessed unless you have the key?"

"Correct. The Goddess of Wisdom set this all up. You have to realize that it took me _years_ of reading and research to discover this room. She made finding the Stone of Water a quest in and of itself. First the clues leading up to this room, then the map leading to the key, which I believe is in the Water Temple, then the key unlocking the door to the chamber that holds the Stone."

Great. I would get stuck with the hard one.

"Wait. You said it contained a map up until a few hours ago. What happened?"

Her gaze turned troubled. "Someone stole it. I came in this morning, with the intention to move the map somewhere else, although I imagined nowhere could be safer than this, and then I walked in and it was gone."

My heart seemed to stop beating for a few moments. "Then we have to go NOW!" I yelled. "Do you realize that if the person behind all this gets the stone, he could wipe out Hyrule _easily_? They already have a three hour head start!"

"Well, by all means, let's get going."

I whirled about and strode to the exit before stopping again. "No. You have to stay. Guard the entrance to the Stone. Keep other guards with you. If I am unsuccessful in recovering the key first, then we'll need someone powerful enough to protect it." She opened her mouth to argue, but I cut her off with a downward slice of my hand. "Just. Do. It," I gritted out through my teeth. She nodded and raised the door.

As I waited for the water to refill the anteroom, my thoughts raced. How on earth did they get the map? And for that matter, what had Ruto been thinking, waiting all this time before following the perpetrator? Once the next door opened, I sent Ruto a curt salute before spinning around and kicking off of the wall. The webbing on my hands and feet made swimming a much faster and easier process. Reaching the tunnel to the Lake in a matter of seconds, I took a breath of air and plunged forward.

Traveling through the magical tunnel, which stretched from Zora's Domain all the way across Hyrule to Lake Hylia, was highly uncomfortable. The whole trip took about five seconds, but the whooshing and speeding and twists and turns were _not _pleasant.

I tumbled out of the passageway and into Lake Hylia. I took a moment to orient myself and clear my brain. Once I could see straight, I noticed the strong pull of the current and the whipping waves some fifteen feet above my head. Obviously, the storm was in its full fury.

Not wanting to test how Zelda's suit stood up to lightning, I darted forward, extending my arms completely and using the full power of my legs to propel myself toward the center of the lake. I could see the lightning above me, though through the screen of water, it looked distorted and eerie. The sound of waves pounding around me drowned out the sound of thunder. I pushed myself harder.

The gate to the Water Temple already stood ajar, the blue gem-switch floating in the water some ten feet above the entrance. I growled under my breath and swam forward.

Zelda and I had only entered the Water Temple once. She wasn't able to get far; at that time she lacked access to all of her magical stores of clothing and possessed only a golden scale. She had dove into the water, intending to keep close tabs on Link, when the water level started dropping. We scrambled back onto the entryway ledge, having also lacked a hookshot, and decided it was the best place to stay. We watched Link run about, going in and out of different doors, the water level never staying the same for long.

I was at a distinct disadvantage.

I surfaced silently inside the temple. I had no idea who was in the temple, what they had with them, or where they were. I did not want to be taken by surprise. Calling on every bit of Sheikah training and instinct I possessed, I became a Shadow.

The water was at the third level, and there were no eddies and swirls in it to denote a recent change. I scanned the uppermost level, allowing my eyes to cross every little thing.

I began to make a mental catalogue of things I should have gotten from Link: (1) the stone mask, (2) the longshot, and (3) a map. Zelda had known the layout of the temple, and therefore I did too, but being in the actual building is much different from looking down at a picture of it.

My dive into the water created neither a ripple nor a sound. The water was shockingly cold, even through my special suit. Keeping my eyes constantly peeled, I swam toward the bottom of the Temple. If the water level hadn't changed yet, then the person with the map was probably close to the changing point.

Dodging around the rolling metal sea-urchin things, I entered the hall marked by torches. My Sheikah instincts were in overdrive. I was hypersensitive to every movement and sound; I could feel the shift in the electrical field as I entered the square room.

I let my field of awareness spread. Three floors up, a person stood outside the door. I could feel the heat they were generating as they stood there, shivering in an effort to warm up. Hugging the wall, I drifted upward. Within twenty feet of the third floor, I heard a _female _voice swearing. Virulently. I snickered silently to myself when I realized what must be going on: their instrument, if they even had one, did not possess the abilities of the royally gifted ones to move the water. Heh. With stealth I continued upward, still a Shadow. I rose noiselessly from the water and held to the wall opposite.

Immediately I recognized the slim stature and sleek black hair. Selia stood before me, wearing a skin-tight black leotard. Her chest, stomach, and the outside of her hips were covered in silver fish scales. Scale-covered gauntlets reached halfway up her arms and scaly boots with retractable webbing encased her lower legs. She had a gold belt slung about her waist, holding a matching pair of strangely shaped long knives. They had a short handle and the serrated portion of the blades ran straight for a few inches before smoothing out and curving up to a point. Leather bands circled her upper things and held two more knives in place.

Her hair, braided and coiled and out of the way, revealed a figure branded into her back: a wolf, snarling viscously, surrounded by a circle of thorny, tangled vines. I mentally stored the image for later reflection.

She held the map in her hands and was still cursing violently. She held no instrument. Obviously, she was at a loss as to what she should do.

I weighed my options. I could creep closer and memorize the map, then go off and find the stone on my own and she would never know that I had been there, but then she would be free to continue wreaking havoc. I could kill her, of course, but killing humans was not something in which I took pleasure, and only did I take a life under extreme circumstances. Or I could attack her, steal the map, and incapacitate her until I found the stone and could hand her over to Zelda.

Hoping I wasn't going to soon regret my decision, I crawled up the wall and across the ceiling like a spider. Once I was directly over her, I became completely motionless. I had learned that no matter how quiet you are, even the simplest of humans will have an instinctive feeling of danger. I allowed her shoulders, which had stiffened the tiniest of degrees, to relax again. Then I dropped.

In one motion, she whipped her head up, dropped the map, and pulled out both of her warrior knives. I landed a solid kick in her face that sent her staggering. Although she recovered quickly, it wasn't quick enough to evade my next barrage of blows. Her knees hit the ground as I mercilessly slammed a fist into her diaphragm, forcing the air out, and used one of my legs to smash into the back of her legs. With a final ringing blow to the back of her head, she slumped, unconscious, to the floor.

I must admit I felt pretty terrible about beating up a girl, but then I remembered how she was half-responsible for the destruction of Kakariko and had had every intention of gutting me as I dropped from the ceiling. So, moment of guilt gone, I went about removing her weaponry and tying her up.

I picked the map off of the floor. I could see why Ruto had been so confused by it. The map didn't look like any map I had ever seen.

The entire scroll of parchment was covered in numbers, arranged in groups of four. To someone who didn't know better, it looked like a wasted sheet of paper.

The Goddess of Wisdom _would_.

Almost overwhelmed by the sheer amount of figures, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Math had never been my strongest point, but nor was it my weakest. I could figure it out.

The first set of numbers read: three, one, two, two.

Okay. Great.

An almost miniscule compass rose caught my eye in the upper right hand corner. The North, East, South, and West symbols had a one, two, three, and four beside them, respectively. It gave me a little something with which to work.

Looking for patterns in systems of numbers never hurt anyone, so I set to work. The first two numbers were always one, two, or three, and the second number was always the first number of the next sequence. I figured that the first number was the floor you start on, and the second number was the floor to which you needed to go. Simple enough. Start on floor three, go to floor one, et cetera.

The next number, I decided, corresponded with the direction in which you needed to go, since the third number was always one, two, three, or four. The last number had to be the number of rooms you went through until you reached whatever it was you were reaching.

Impressed by my mad math skills, I hurriedly lowered the water level. Giving Selia, who was still out cold, a last once over, I jumped through the opening and landed softly on the first floor.

If all of my assumptions were correct, then I was already in the right direction. I lit the braziers and walked into the room.

After swiftly dealing with the hopping clams, I started at one end of the room and studied every nook and cranny. My Sheikah senses showed nothing out of the ordinary, so the stone picture on the wall seemed the most likely. After much swearing and swiping with my sword, and no results, I pulled out the map again and studied it closely.

I flipped it over and looked at the back, trying to find something, _anything_. I rather understood Selia's frustration, and thought perhaps I shouldn't have been so hasty to laugh at her.

Oh wait. She tried to gut me. No remorse!

I tried to focus. The Goddess of Wisdom. The patron goddess of Zelda, designer of a temple whose integral component was a changing water level, changed by…

Jumping to my feet, I pulled out the harp and allowed my fingers to play the comforting notes of her Lullaby. The stone effigy glowed blindingly golden for a moment before subsiding into a twinkling sapphire.

Well.

When nothing happened after that, I exited the room. If I was correct, and if I interpreted the numbers correctly, then once all the stone images had been activated, I would probably acquire the key.

There were too many if's and probably's in that thought to be comforting, but I could only work with what I had.

One set of numbers down, seemingly hundreds to go.

* * *

Over the next eight hours, I vowed multiple times to never set foot in the water again. The temple was absolutely maddening. Changing the water level every five seconds was a complete pain in the ass. Each room contained some annoying creature or whirlpool or my own evil Shadow, for the goddess' sake. And if I had a rupee for every time I had to backtrack to flip some goddamn un-flipped switch, then I would be richer than the king. I was definitely looking like a half-drowned cat and my mood was way worse. I was ready to find the damn key and then go strangle the goddess for designing such a horrible temple.

I only had one last set of numbers: one, three, one, one.

Of course. The boss chamber. Thank the goddesses I had picked up the Boss Key along the way. Had I _not_ been in possession of it, I probably would have just thrown up my hands and left.

I somersaulted my way over the ricocheting razor blades and entered the last doorway. I was so ready to see Link again.

Stone images decorated every panel of the final room.

"Fuck my life," I groaned, yanking off my cowl. My feet dragging, I hopped to one of the central pillars to get a better look around.

Menacing spikes ringed the lower wall, breaking off every two spaces. I perused the map. There were no numbers left.

After ten or so minutes, I flopped to the ground with a huff. I tossed the map away from me and it landed, wide open, on the edge of the pillar. I crossed my arms and looked away.

Inevitably my eyes were drawn back to it. I mentally distanced myself and looked at it using only my peripherals. Suddenly, I gasped.

Invisible to the direct gaze, but visible to the indirect gaze, was a perfect four-square grid pictured on the map. The numbers, when viewed from the corner of my eye, had a pattern that showed larger numbers. Starting from the upper left hand corner, they read: four, two, one, three.

"Yes!" I shouted triumphantly. I jumped to my feet, ebullient, resisting the silly urge to dance a little jig, and pulled out my harp for what I hoped to be the last song of the day.

I played the lullaby on pillar four, then two, then one, and then, **FINALLY**, three. Golden light shot down from the center of the ceiling. My heart soared as a small, sapphire-encrusted key became visible through the light.

My heart swelled with pride. I had officially completed an important quest on my own, and was _successful_.

I leapt to the floor and scooped the key off the ground. I held it up and watched the light dance off the gems.

Something stung the unprotected part of my neck and I jerked a hand up to the spot. Utter dread growing in my stomach, I pulled the small dart out of my neck with a sharp tug.

My vision was already blurring and my limbs turning to lead when Selia's smirking face swam before mine.

_Not fair_, I thought, just as everything went black.

* * *

Awareness returned slowly. My arms and legs tingled painfully, as if all the blood had been absent from them for some time and was just now returning, all in one rush. Without opening my eyes, I took a mental stock of my body.

Chains clasped around my ankles and wrists kept me pinned to a wooden table. Save my undershorts, I was completely naked. My neck throbbed in time with my heartbeat. The dart that pierced my neck must have been covered with some type of paralyzing poison. Without even testing the theory, I knew I was still under its effects. I couldn't have lifted my hand even if I wanted to.

Only by concentrating all of my energy was I able to crack one eye open the tiniest amounts. From what I could see, the room was stark and sterile. The smooth, gray stone walls flowed into the smooth, gray stone ceiling. I allowed my eyelid to droop closed as a door opened behind me and someone rustled into the room.

"I'm glad to see you awake, Sheikah. You'll find that you are unable to move," Selia said, her voice pleasant and calm, as if we were discussing the weather. The savage curses that rose in my throat couldn't make it past my hebetudinous windpipe. "The dart that pricked your neck was covered with a milder strain of curare, one that won't cause death by asphyxiation, but will keep you immobile while we, ah, _spend some time together_.

Firstly I want to commend you on decoding that map for me. It would have taken forever, had I actually had to do it myself. But you figured it out so quickly, and then led me straight to the key! You made my job so much easier."

This time my growl was able to make its way into the open air. _All that hard work_, I thought. Selia laughed, the sound grating sorely on my nerves.

My anger giving me strength, I cracked open both eyes and skewered her with my glare. Her smile faltered a bit, but she recovered rapidly.

"As we speak, my forces are moving on Zora's Domain, key in hand, ready to take for me the Stone of Water, the famed Uisge Mor."

I managed a near-silent chuckle. "They retrieve the stone not for you," I rasped out.

"What was that?" she hissed.

"You know you're second in command," I gasped. "You are the go-to boy, nothing more," I said, my tongue clearly getting carried away.

Her fists balled and her lips pursed. Whirling around, she snatched an item out of her bag. I saw it coming, but could do nothing to evade the stinging blow of the whip as she snapped it across the top portion of my chest.

I gasped against my will. Even though I couldn't move, I could certainly _feel _the pain. The skin smarted and I could feel blood welling where the straps had cut the deepest. Her eyes ran the length of the mark, then down my body. She leered at me and I wanted to fidget.

"You're quite a handsome little thing, aren't you? I'm sure that Hylian of yours just loves this body," she said, trailing a finger across the mark and down my stomach. Reflexively, my body shuddered in revulsion.

Her lips curled in disgusting excitement. "There are some pieces of information I require from you, little Sheikah. I suggest you cooperate, or things will only get much worse."

Staring her in the eye, I sucked in and spit straight in her face. "Not going to happen," I replied, steeling myself for the inevitable. I had known, ever since childhood, that being a Sheikah could one day come to this. I had been trained for it.

Her blow snapped my head to the side and left my ear ringing. High spots of pink appeared in her cheeks and her breast rose and fell rapidly with her breathing. Knowing it wouldn't help my situation at all, I smirked anyway.

_Sheik_.

I opened my eyes wider and glanced around, the pain momentarily forgotten. I could have sworn that Link's voice called out to me, from somewhere relatively close by.

My straying thoughts crashed into me as a white hot pain flashed across my lower abdomen. The scream I had been attempting to hold in exploded out of my throat and into the surrounding air.

"LINK!" I cried out. Selia laughed at my exclamation and continued her…_ministrations_.

As the pain went on and on, my hopes of rescue dwindled more and more.

Link's voice was not heard again. I was all alone.

**Author Note**: Oo, bad cliffhanger. Poor Sheik!

Uisge obviously means water, in Gaelic, of course. As a side note, Zelda's Lullably is probably my favorite melody in the game, closely followed by the Serenade of Water. Her lullaby is one of my favorite video game pieces to play on the piano.

Okay, here's the deal: I have five days left of Thanksgiving Break. I can get a lot of writing done in five days. Sooo…if you wanted to leave me some more reviews, I think the level of productivity will be greatly increased!


	16. A Sheikah and a Snake

Chapter 16 A Sheikah and a Snake

Thank you to all of my reviewers: Hunter of Darkness, sapzberry, tails doll curse, Marlin Lette, Okamihanyou-Lin, lydia2693, SurunasuGirl-24, Neriad, Master Sapphire 69, Lady Nerikla, Motor42CD, Dragongal333, and Mai.

Woot, over one hundred reviews! Congrats to Dragongal333, who gets the prize for being lucky number 100. I haven't decided on the prize yet…perhaps a plate of cookies? ;)

By the by, happy black Friday everyone! I hope you got to lots of early bird sales (I know I did). I fished out all my Christmas CD's today and was blasting Frank Sinatra and Sarah McLachlan carols on my way to the mall.

Look how effective your reviews are! I got this chapter out in an incredibly timely manner. Get ready for some hardcore Link fighting action. It's about time he kicked Selia's ass!

Enjoy!

SPOV

I guess Selia finally tired of asking questions that I wasn't going to answer, for she stowed away the whip and turned to me, hands on her hips, her lips set in a petulant line.

"You just have to make this difficult, don't you Sheikah?"

A groan was the only thing that I could force from my lungs. Lash marks crisscrossed every inch of my body, or so it felt. Five lashes for every unanswered question. They added up quickly.

I wasn't so worried about those as I was about the deeper cuts inflicted with various knives and other little torture devices across my chest, abdomen, arms and thighs.

At first I had lain there, trying to come up with a way to escape. But paralysis, a complete lack of weaponry, and being chained to a table made escape a little difficult. When I had realized escape was impossible, I latched onto my anger like a dying man.

Selia had asked me the same question over and over, _Where are the other stones_?

Now, of course, I didn't know where Zelda had put the stones, but Selia hadn't believed me when I told her _that_, and then she whipped me anyway. So I decided if I _was _going to get whipped, then I would make it the most hellish experience for Selia that I could.

I found that making Selia _think_ I knew exactly where the stones were, but not divulging their location, was the best way to get under her skin. I taunted and mocked, smirked and belittled. It was kind of fun, in a sick way. She became even angrier and frustrated, her respiration rate going through the roof, her face as red as a tomato. The way she spoke, the way she responded to my answers, served to reinforce her second-in-command status. She wasn't the mastermind behind all this. And she was worried about what would happen if she didn't fulfill her quest.

She spent her wrath on my body, whipping and slicing and putting me through as much pain as she possibly could. My body shut down several times, going into self-preservation mode, but she revived me immediately and continued the process.

Eventually the anger I clung so desperately to gave way to an endless sea of pain. I didn't know how long I lay there, my lifeblood and energy draining away every second. Being tortured definitely takes something out of you.

"Shall I ask one more time, then, just for the record? _Where are the other stones_?"

I narrowed my eyes and smirked. She just wouldn't learn. "Go to hell," I rasped.

Rage flared in her eyes, but before she could pull out the whip again, light flashed in the room and a Stalfos appeared before her.

He (it?) spoke quickly, in a low, rough voice. "They are strong. The forces are being pushed back. The Sage is there. You need to come."

I still couldn't get over the undead pile of bones speaking. It just didn't seem right…or biologically possible.

Selia sighed. "Do I have to do every fucking thing myself? The whole lot of you are useless!" she cried. "Get back there and fight. I shall be along in a moment."

A hasty salute and flash of light later, we were once again alone. She paced the length of the room and I followed her with my eyes, cursing the chains. The curare had almost completely worn off, but it left my muscles feeling like wet noodles and the amount of blood I had lost was not an insignificant amount. I could have still done some damage though, except for the damn chains.

"Useless pieces of shit," she muttered to herself. I had the feeling she was trying to re-strategize. Suddenly she rounded on me and a positively feral light lit in her eyes.

"Oh yes. Oh my, yes. A much better plan, I should think." She sauntered slowly forward, shadows gathering around her hands. Panic stirred in my stomach. "Little Sheikah, you are used to mind control, yes?" Before I could even begin to struggle, she raised a palm and the black shadows shot forward, right between my eyes.

And then I knew nothing.

LPOV

Chaos erupted in the room as Ruto hit the ground. Zelda cried out, and she, Impa, and I all rushed forward at once. Impa grasped her under the arms and held her up while Zelda placed her glowing hands at the bottom of the wound and eased them slowly upward. I grabbed my discarded glass of wine and held it to her lips.

"Drink," I ordered. Ruto's eyelids fluttered and she obediently swallowed the crimson liquid, and then fainted. Zelda reached the top of the wound then returned to the bottom, repeating the movement. I watched as the wound knitted itself back together.

Zelda ran her bloody hands down the front of her skirt. "Impa, go get a blood-replenishing potion, please, as well as a blue potion."

Impa nodded and stood. As she moved to open the door, Valek burst through, his hastily pulled-on clothing rumpled and disheveled, his hair sticking up all over the place. It was obvious he had just gotten out of bed.

"Princess, I heard a cry. Is everything alright?" His worried green eyes took in Zelda, covered in blood, Ruto, covered in more blood, and me, covered in only the goddesses knew what. "I'll take that as a 'no'," he replied, darting forward. "Allow me," he said, lifting Ruto up onto one of the divans. "What can I do to help, Princess?"

Zelda directed her gaze behind him to Impa. Impa nodded once and Zelda returned her attention to Valek.

"Valek, I need you to go down a floor to the infirmary. Ask Sileph for a blood-replenishing potion and a blue potion. Ruto has been seriously injured."

"Right away, Princess." Valek stood and hastened from the room. Impa returned to Ruto's side.

As soon as he was gone, Zelda stood and moved behind a changing screen.

"Are you sure it's such a good idea to get him involved?" I queried, my voice low.

"Link, he's been invaluable over the last week or two with everything that's been happening. It's fine." She emerged, dressed in practical black pants with a long-sleeved black shirt and boots, tying her hair into place with a strip of leather.

My retort died as Ruto gasped and shot into a sitting position, her eyes wide. Impa placed restraining hands on her shoulders and Zelda ran forward.

"Zelda, we have to get back to the Fountain!" she shouted, scrambling against Impa's hold. "Sheik is in trouble! We were defending the entrance to the Stone Chamber when a force of enemies arrived. We threw them back easily, but then after a while a woman arrived, and in her wake, Sheik. She has him under some kind of hypnosis. He's attacking and killing Zoras! He was the one who stabbed me," she cried, her frenzied movements increasing. "He'll be killed if we don't do something _right now_!"

As she was speaking, I felt a peculiar heat building up in my chest, something strangely both foreign and familiar, and way too powerful. It took me a moment of surreally calm reflection to realize that pure, unadulterated _rage _was mounting lightning-fast inside of me.

Sheik, _my _Sheik, harmed by and under the control of some filthy, villainous _slut_?

I jumped to my feet and promptly collided with Valek, who was kneeling down to give Ruto the potions.

Through the red haze of fury I remembered Valek fighting adroitly alongside Sheik and I in Castle Town. "You are coming?" I asked, my voice deadly calm.

"Of course," he replied, gesturing to the sword strapped at his hip.

I nodded in approval and turned to Zelda and Ruto, who had downed the potions and was looking much better. "Let's go."

Zelda held out her hands, palms up. "Touch my hands," she said. Impa, Ruto, Valek, and I all placed our hands on hers. She closed her eyes and muttered a few of those unintelligible foreign words. Blue light engulfed us and suddenly I had that horrible traveling-through-a-magical-tunnel feeling in the pit of my stomach. The light dissipated before I even had a chance to really process the sensation, leaving us smack in the middle of a war zone.

SPOV

_NO_!!! I screamed in my head. _Don't, please, not another one, no, no, no no no…_

I could do nothing as I felt my hands, _my hands_, plunge the knife through another Zora's neck.

My body moved automatically, killing everything in its path, leaving destruction in its wake.

I felt something shatter within me as another Zora fell, this one only a mere child. I heard Selia laughing.

I could do nothing, nothing.

LPOV

Corpses littered the Fountain, both Zora and enemy alike. I spotted Sheik easily, a wide swath of dead bodies behind him. The Zoras had formed a ring around him, simultaneously trying to incapacitate him while not harming him.

He moved with the speed of a striking cobra, his body a near blur. Using their long spear-like weapons to their advantage, the Zoras kept him out of killing range.

Satisfied that I had a moment or two, I looked to the sky as the others spread out around me. "Navi!" I shouted, hoping she would hear and come.

Her peculiar tinkling bell noise sounded and specks of light floated in the air as she swirled into existence beside me. "Navi, we need lots of healing fairies and some Red Fairies as well. Hurry up!"

"Got it," she said, taking one glance at the destruction and disappearing.

I returned my attention to the battle. Valek was hacking his way toward the female leader, who was standing on Lord Jabu Jabu's platform, Impa and Ruto were blasting back enemies with their magic, and Zelda was alternately healing Zoras and sending bolts of light into the enemy.

"Valek!" I hollered. His head swiveled toward me. "The female is _mine_." He nodded his understanding and continued to fight.

I withdrew my sword and ran in between the ranks of Zoras to where Sheik was being corralled. The Zoras were trying to herd him into the water, to get the fight on a more even plane.

"Get back," I ordered them. They hastened backwards, looking relieved to get away from the one man killing machine.

"Sheik," I said, my sword in hand but its point lowered. "Sheik, it's me, Link."

The rage within me howled at the sight he presented. He wore the same style of outfit the female had on, and whip lashes showed on every space of bare skin. I could see blood soaking through in numerous places, not to mention the bruises on his face. My hands itched to rip her head off.

His pupils were almost completely dilated, making them appear totally black, and the whites of his eyes were heavily bloodshot.

"Sheik," I said softly, holding out my hand.

He seemed to waver for a moment, leaning forward slightly, then jerking back. He shook violently and his whole body convulsed before he growled and sprang forward, an unfamiliar knife in his hand.

I raised my sword just in time to block the blow. With all the force behind his thrust, I had to step back to regain my balance. Sheik pressed the attack, his teeth bared and a snarl building in his chest.

"Sheik, stop!" I yelled, shoving him away. He somersaulted backwards, landing in a crouch some feet away. Using his bent legs to gain momentum, he hurtled back again, another knife appearing like magic in his other hand. I lifted the shield to stop the first knife. It clanged into my shield and I leaned my shoulder into it while his other knife sailed toward my face. I angled my sword, allowing the knife and the brunt of the force to slide off harmlessly. Hoping to catch him unawares, I hooked one of my legs around his. In a twist of movement, he leapt out of my grasp and landed a stunning blow with the hilt of his knife to the side of my head.

Giving a grunt of pain, I staggered sideways. I watched in horror as he aimed a viscous thrust at my unprotected ribs. Before the knife could connect however, he jerked his hand to a stop and cried out, as if in pain. I heard a frustrated _female _scream followed shortly by, "Kill him already!"

Sheik and mine's growl were simultaneous. I wanted to stab the bitch through the heart.

Sheik shuddered and lifted his ferocious gaze to meet mine, the black in his eyes expanding. He looked like an animal. Jumping back, I tried to figure a way to get him where he couldn't hurt me or himself. We circled each other, both looking for an opening. All around me the sounds of battle continued. I could see Impa kicking some serious ass across the Fountain. She alternated between shadowy balls of energy and her own personal Sheikah weaponry.

I waited until Sheik stopped his prowling and charged me. I was loath to even think about initiating the attack. He ran full speed. I braced myself for the impact, but Sheik jumped at the last second, trying to land a shot from above. I dropped and rolled to the side, narrowly missing the downswing of Sheik's blade. I felt the breeze it created as it sailed past my ear. Leaping to my feet, I spun and slammed my shield arm into his back. His breath left his lungs in a 'whoosh' and he stumbled forward. Pressing my advantage, I moved in to hit him again, but he swung around, too fast for me to follow with my eyes, and swiped again at my face. I sprang back, allowing the blade to pass, before weaving forward again. Switching tactics, Sheik began to dart around, moving too quickly to land any shots. It was disconcerting, with all the noise and movement. He feinted to the left and I fell for it, moving to block. Sheik's knife sliced deep into my upper right thigh. Breath hissing between my teeth, I raised my shield to defend against his next attack, taking a moment to try to concentrate on obstructing the pulsating waves of pain.

When Sheik leapt into the air again, I was ready for him. As his feet neared my head, I jumped forward and grasped his ankle. Gravity on my side, I slammed him into the ground, wincing as I heard his shoulder pop out of socket.

Ignoring, or unaware of, the pain, Sheik kicked out at my wrist with his other foot. His boot connected and I heard several distinct snaps.

"FUCK!" I shouted, releasing his ankle. Staggering backwards, I cradled the oddly hanging wrist to my chest.

Sheik stood, his eyes now almost completely black, and shrugged his shoulder back into place. I could see the blood flowing freely from more than one wound, and his chest was heaving. If I didn't stop him soon, he was going to die from blood loss and exhaustion. He stalked toward me, pulling out another, longer knife from the sheath on his back.

"Sheik, you need to stop. You're going to kill yourself," I pleaded. The words breezed right past him. He kept coming.

"Sheik. Stop. I don't want to hurt you." He advanced further.

"Fine then," I growled, "you asked for it. If you won't stop yourself, then I'll stop you."

My inhibitions gone, I dropped my shield and dashed forward. Sheik's eyes widened in surprise as I met him in the middle, sword already swinging. Our weapons clanged as he raised his weapon to ward the blow.

I lost myself to the rhythm of the battle, the dodges and strikes all running together. The battle haze consumed me, adrenaline pumping, every synapse firing as I rolled, slashed, and thwarted. I used my sword both to counter and attack. Sheik's breathing grew more ragged as his offensive maneuvers became more desperate.

Suddenly, Sheik slammed to a halt, his sword dropping from his lifted hand. I watched in horror as he collapsed to his knees and vomited blood. His eyes rolled back in his head and he fell backwards to the ground.

"ZELDA!" I screamed, bruising both knees as I dropped by his side. I lifted his shoulders and shook. "Sheik, SHEIK!"

Zelda appeared by my side and grabbed him from me. "Go Link. Valek needs help. I'll do what I can."

As much as I hated to leave him, the raging beast within me cried out for revenge. I sprang to my feet and turned, my eyes darting around. Impa was running toward Sheik, her side of the Fountain completely empty of any enemies, or at least empty of any enemies with a head still intact. Ruto and her Zora guards were battling the final couple dozen of Stalfos. Valek was engaged in a fierce duel with the female leader. Both had various injuries, but it didn't look like either had the advantage.

My target in sight, I sprinted up the steps of Jabu Jabu's old resting spot, a roar building in my chest. "Valek, DUCK!" I barked. He obediently crouched down. Using him for a launch pad, I ran full speed and placed one boot on his mid-back and the other on his shoulder, using the extra momentum to propel myself into the air.

The female's, Selia, I remembered now, eyes widened as I let out a harsh growl and hurled myself toward her. I swung my leg around and kicked her in the face, her head whipping to the side. I dropped to the ground in a crouch and spun around, sweeping her feet from beneath her. She hit the ground with a thump and a violent curse.

"How dare you," I snarled, yanking her up by the throat, "lay a _finger_ on my Sheik!" Her feet flailed and her nails scratched at my hands, drawing blood. "You bitch." I threw her to the ground and pulled out my sword. I advanced forward, my blood singing for her death. "You whipped him," I growled, watching as she scrambled to her feet. She pulled out another sword and weakly blocked my blow. "You cut him." I pressed forward, she moved back. "You _brainwashed _him."

To my surprise, Selia smirked. "Protective little fucker, aren't you?" she rasped out.

The smirk slipped a notch as I smiled pleasantly. "Why, yes. I am." And then I lunged.

By only a hair did she block the first blow, but she wasn't fast enough for the second. She gasped in pain as my sword bit deeply across her upper arm. She jumped back and flipped over the railing.

I caught a glimpse of what looked like a snarling wolf on her back before she dropped out of sight. Cursing in annoyance, I stalked forward.

A sudden, violent ripping sound followed closely by a roar halted me in my tracks. I sucked in a horrified breath as a huge _beast_ unfurled itself and rose high into the air.

It was unlike anything I had ever come across, in my world, or Termina, or any of the other worlds I'd visited. The only recognizable part of Selia was her face, and even that was distorted; her face was flatter and her pupils were mere slits. Alternating black and white stripes covered her face. _Six _arms extended out from her torso, each holding an oddly shaped warrior knife. Her waist tapered into a long, thick, coiling tail, also covered in black and white stripes. A ridge of razor sharp spikes ran the length of her body. She opened her mouth, revealing a full set of pointed fangs. Her hissing roar made my blood run cold.

She was part human, part snake.

Navi suddenly appeared by my side, a red fairy immediately curling around my wrist. The bones clicked back into their proper place. "Navi, any advice?" I asked, my eyes locked with Selia's.

"No. Give me a minute."

Selia watched me curiously, her forked tongue flickering out of her mouth. I eased a hand into my pouch. Her eyes followed my every movement. The only warning I had was their slight narrowing before she lunged.

I threw a fistful of Deku nuts into her face as I rolled to the side. She jerked back and shrieked in rage, her voice a strange, dual hissing sound.

Her brief distraction gave me a few precious moments. I tore toward the steps, my mind racing with a way to beat her. Unlike most monsters, she had a working brain, one that could reason and employ logic. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Her neck, Link. There's a small part, not covered in spikes. That's the only place," Navi whispered urgently. I nodded and she flew back to the fallen Zoras.

"What's the matter, little Hylian?" she called, mocking. "Don't you want to play?" I heard her moving behind me, her coils sluicing through the water. "Your Sheikah didn't like my idea of playing, and come to think of it, neither did your horse."

I slammed to a halt and turned, my wrath effectively doubled. "You did that?" I asked calmly. She smirked and slowed her pace.

"Why yes. I have a certain penchant for the whip."

My arms a blur, the bowstring twanged as I let an arrow fly. It took her completely by surprise. She looked down at the arrow, imbedded in her stomach.

"Quite the archer, aren't we? But you're going to have to do better than that," she said, yanking the arrow out and snapping it in two.

She darted forward and whipped her tail around, hitting me squarely in the chest and knocking me into the wall. I slumped to the ground, the wind knocked out of me. Selia backed up and stared down at me, her expression superior.

"Come on, little warrior, make this fun for me," she taunted.

Swearing, I shot forward, pulling out another sword. She grinned and met me.

Immediately I was put on the defensive. With only two arms, I couldn't do much against _six_. I managed to disarm one of her appendages before she threw me back again. She slithered forward and leaned over me.

Her face was positively frightful. Clear venom dripped steadily off her pointed fangs and her cat-like pupils had expanded, making her eyes solid black. "This was too easy," she hissed. As she raised one of her sword arms, I concentrated and slammed my fist down, sending a wave of fire into her.

Shrieking, she threw herself backward into the water and rolled around, trying to dispel the flames.

A quick glance around showed Valek finishing off the last of the enemies, Zelda and Impa still huddled around Sheik, and Ruto moving amongst her fallen warriors with the fairies, saving those not quite yet gone and administering aid to those who were injured.

Selia rose from the water, murderous rage dancing across her singed face. But her rage was nothing compared to the rage I possessed.

I stood slowly. A plan started to formulate in my mind.

"By the looks of Sheik, you didn't get what you wanted from him, did you?" I said, my tone mocking, as I circled slowly around, back up the steps of the altar toward the deeper water.

"I got the key from him. That's all that counts," she answered, her body on a hair-trigger.

"Is it?" I countered. "You don't even have the Uisge Mor yet, and there's always the inconsequential matter of the other two stones. What, pray tell, were you going to do with just a _key_?"

She struck like lightning, her fangs bared and her knives all positioned to run me through. I somersaulted backwards, off the elevated platform and onto a small jutting rock. She followed a moment later, her speed carrying her straight over the edge and into the water. The hot rage roiling within me gathered and rose as I aimed my bow at the snake. Blue, sparkling light emanated from the arrow head, gathering in energy as I increased the intensity of my magic. When her gaze met mine, I released the arrow.

As the arrow landed harmlessly in front of her, she laughed cruelly. "You missed."

"Not quite," I answered back.

Her laughter cut off abruptly as the water froze around her, keeping her lower body immobile. She twisted violently, and hacked at the ice with her knives, but to no avail.

Even with all the extra effort I had put into the shot, I didn't know how long the ice would hold against her flailing body. I jumped off the rock and sprinted toward her, sword poised above my body. She readied herself, holding the knives in front of her. At the last possible second, I launched into the air, flipping over her head. Her torso, already swiveling to fight, froze as I touched my sword to the only part of her neck not covered in spikes.

"Did you think," I asked rhetorically, "that you would get away with what you did?" A hiss escaped her throat but I cut her off. "Did you think," I asked, raising my voice, "that I would let you walk free after you whipped my horse? DID YOU THINK," I asked, my voice rising to a shout, "THAT I WOULD LET YOU LIVE AFTER YOU HARMED SHEIK?"

"This isn't over," she hissed.

"Oh yes," I answered. "It is." And with that, I shoved my sword through her neck.

**Author Note**: Finally...But wait, what happened to Sheik?

Hmm, I guess you'll have to wait a few days to find out! I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!

Additionally, would someone like to take a shot at what type of snake Selia was? I might give you a prize if you get it correct!


	17. Lost and Found

Chapter 17 Lost and Found

Thank you to all of my reviewers: Marlin Lette, sapzberry, Mai, Master Sapphire 69, SurunasuGirl-24, The Mighty Mighty Marshmallow, Lady Nerikla, Okamihanyou-Lin, Dragongal333, Hunter of Darkness, lydia2693, Nostarion, Illyric, Aerin of the Bow, and Holtza!

Seriously guys, thank you for all of your wonderful reviews. The constructive criticism helps a lot, and your encouraging comments keep me motivated, as well as aware as to whether or not you're liking the story.

So congrats to Okamihanyou-Lin and Dragongal333! They correctly guessed that Selia was modeled after a Sea Snake. The Faint-Banded Sea Snake, or _Hydrophis belcheri_, to be exact, is considered by many to be the most venomous snake in the world. Although they are known for their extremely docile temperaments, I decided to make Selia a sea snake, in addition to the venom thing, because it seemed appropriate (SEA snake, WATER stone?). Anyway, thanks to all who took a stab at it!

Oh, and there's an author's note at the end. Enjoy!

Impa POV

Link's shout was the one thing that could tear my attention away from the limp Sheikah cradled in my arms.

I looked up just in time to see him run his sword through the girl's neck. My cry to stop, not to kill her, that we needed to question the girl, didn't even make it past my windpipe.

Not that I was particularly sorry to see the bitch killed, of course, but it would have been helpful to ask her a few questions.

The girl, Selia, reached up with two of her hands to grasp the sword protruding from her neck. She opened and closed her mouth like fish; her whole body spoke of incredulity at her defeat. With a final inarticulate garble, she slumped forward, her hands dropping to her sides.

Link yanked the sword free. He didn't even pause to clean the blade as he ran across the ice toward us.

"How is he?" he asked, his face one giant canvas of anxiety. Soaked to the bone and covered in blood, he tossed the sword away and dropped to his knees, placing one hand on Sheik's face and the other over his heart.

Zelda continued moving her hands over his body, warmth and light flowing from them. She replied tersely without looking up. "Extensive damage to his skin, multiple bruises, several fractures, a ton of blood loss. But the majority of that can be healed. I'm more worried about his mind. Selia brainwashed him." Zelda pushed Link's hands away and concentrated on the cuts covering Sheik's face.

"But Nabooru was brainwashed for like, seven years, and she turned out alright," Link protested, stubbornly grasping Sheik's hand between his own.

"The Rova sisters' form of brainwashing was quite different from Selia's," I answered. "Selia's is much more harmful. Whereas Nabooru had no idea what was going on, it would appear that Sheik is inside his head, cognizant of what is going on, but completely incapable of having any say in his actions. I think he has retreated into the depths of his mind, going into self-preservation mode, as his body finally did."

"Well we can just call him back out, right?" Link asked, an edge of hysteria to his voice.

"Link, shush," Zelda admonished. "If Sheik _can_ hear us, I'm sure he doesn't want to hear you being a mother hen."

Despite Zelda's attempt at levity, I could sense the undercurrent of worry. She wasn't any more confident of Sheik's condition than I was.

Wherever Sheik was, he hadn't shown any signs of emerging in the hour since he'd dropped, even after Zelda had healed the worst of his injuries.

As Zelda and Link continued to work on Sheik, I looked out over the Fountain. Such a pure place should never have been subjected to the violence it had seen that day. Bodies, mostly enemy's, lay strewn about the enclosure. Blood mixed with the water, its heavy scent polluting the air. Valek, Ruto, and her guards were sorting through the bloody carnage, trying to find any living Zoras. With the help of Navi and the other fairies, quite a few of the aquatic race had been snatched from the jaws of death.

I turned my gaze back to Sheik. His face, normally so tan and animated, was drawn and pale, his lips contorted in pain. My nephew and godson. As a Sheikah, I had been taught since birth to suppress the feelings I had for others. But Sheik, Zelda, and even Link had wormed their way in and settled firmly in my heart. Sheik's pain was my own; I had to do something. Running my fingers through his hair and settling them on either side of his head, I closed my eyes and let my energy build.

"Impa, what are you doing?!" Link cried, surely startled by the sight of Shadows coalescing around Sheik's head.

"Trying to find Sheik. Do not interfere, and do not break my concentration," I replied sharply. Link presumably took the hint and said no more.

As I slipped into Sheik's mind, I could feel the presence of another already there.

Entering someone's head is thoroughly disconcerting. Not only does it require a great deal of effort and energy, it has a sense of complete wrongness. Invading someone's mind just isn't natural. The sensation in itself is very confusing. I wasn't physically in Sheik's mind, but I _was _there, and could "move" around, so to speak.

After a few minutes (or maybe seconds…the flow of time is different as well) of walking in darkness, a scene formed in my mind's eye, technically Sheik's, of a tempestuous summer night in the desert. A full moon shone brilliantly in the western sky, bathing the shifting sands in an ethereal silver glow. I could see Sheik, sitting on the single immoble dune in the distance, a silhouette against the luminous moon.

I heaved a sigh of tremendous relief; Sheik was still present. I started forward, the sand constantly moving beneath my feet. As I neared his sitting form, I became aware of the presence I had noticed earlier. It was getting closer, closing in. Invisible weights pressed against my skin and beads of sweat popped out on my forehead. Drawing my own Sheikah sword I advanced forward cautiously, keeping my eyes peeled and senses aware.

Nothing attacked me as I thought it would. As I reached the bottom of the dune on which Sheik sat, I found that I could go no further. An invisible barrier kept me from advancing. I lifted a hand and reached out; it hit the unseen wall.

My lips stretched into a small smile. Sheik had indeed retreated to a safe place within the confines of his mind. The only thing that remained was to draw him out.

"Sheik," I called softly. My voice carried eerily in the dream desert. "Sheik," I repeated, somewhat louder.

Sheik stiffened at the sound of his name. I watched as he turned his head ever so slowly, his every movement hesitant. When his eyes met mine, I choked back a cry, the rage and grief exploding in my chest.

Tears rolled unchecked down his face. His eyes…his eyes were those of a lost and broken child's.

"Sheik," I whispered, not trusting my voice to be any louder, "please let me in."

Sheik wavered for a moment, his arms crossed protectively in front of his chest, before he nodded ever so slightly.

The sands calmed slightly beneath my feet. The air shimmered before me and I stepped through the veil. I could feel it reassembling behind me. So as not to scare Sheik, I kept my pace calm and collected as I ascended the sand bank.

Once at the top, I froze a few feet away, unsure of how to proceed. I knew Sheik needed to be comforted, and the thought belatedly occurred to me that perhaps a hardened, almost-thirty Sheikah warrior wasn't the best one for the job. Comforting Zelda only taught me so much.

But at that moment, my older sister came to mind, the one who used to hold me while I cried because Sheikah training had been especially brutal, the one who raised me after our mother passed, the one who died on that fateful night when her son, my nephew, was only a year old. I knew what to do. Lifting my arms the slightest amount, I turned my palms out to face him. "Sheik," I whispered, "_Sororal_."

With a strangled cry, Sheik threw himself into my arms. I lifted a hand to stroke his hair and another to support his back. He sobbed uncontrollably, his shoulders shaking with the force of it. He cried as if his heart was breaking, and I'm quite sure it was. I just stood there, holding him, knowing that no words could ease the pain he felt. The only comfort I could offer was my silent acceptance.

After many minutes, his sobs slowed and he quieted. I rubbed his back soothingly and spoke. "It will be alright, Sheik. It will be alright."

He wrenched away from me and stared at me with horrified eyes. "How can you say that?" he whispered brokenly. "My hands have shed the blood of innocent Zoras. Even the blood of a mere child!"

I winced, knowing that that last one was a life we had not been able to save. "Sheik, you were brainwashed," I tried to reason. He shook his head violently and I plowed on. "You had no control over your actions. I know you want to blame yourself for their deaths, but you cannot. It will only eat away at you."

"What would you do in my situation, Impa?" he shouted. "How can you say it is not my fault? How am I ever going to look Ruto in the face again, or her guards? Or _Link_? Oh goddesses," he whispered with a shudder. "I cannot stand it."

My heart twisted within me. I knew well and good that I would be blaming myself if I were in the same situation. But I wasn't about to let him sink into the pit of despair. Straightening my spine, I addressed him.

"Listen well, Sheik. While under the control of an evil sorceress, you committed atrocious crimes this day. However, your actions were not your own. No one in Hyrule will hold you accountable for what you did, least of all Link. And not only that, but you are still very much needed. I need you, Zelda needs you, all of Hyrule needs you. But most importantly, I think, _Link_ needs you. You are the Chosen of the Sheikah. You have a quest to fulfill and a Hero to aid. Hiding out in your mind to wallow in grief is absolutely out of the question."

Sheik's eyes had grown progressively bigger throughout my speech. By the end, he almost looked comical.

"But Impa," he started. I cut him off.

"No excuses. Like I said, this fight isn't even close to being over. A Sheikah never gives up. You should know that by now." I softened my voice. "I know it hurts. Trust me, Sheik, _I know_. But I also know that it is absolutely imperative that you rise above this and move forward. If you get caught up in the past, you'll never make it back to the future. Time will heal your wounds, Sheik, but you have to let it do its work."

Sheik lowered his head thoughtfully. I could see the contemplations running circles in his head. "By the way," I added, "at least three-quarters of the Zoras you 'killed' were resuscitated. So things aren't quite as terrible as you think."

Sheik lifted his gaze. "But how will I ever face Ruto? I nearly eviscerated her!"

I held up a hand. "Ruto is fine. And I seem to recall a certain daring rescue executed some years back that involved you taking down several troops of enemies single-handedly, then proceeding to swim through the rapidly, magically freezing water to save a certain aquatic princess."

Sheik rolled his eyes. "You know Zelda did that."

"Ah," I answered, mirth sparking in my eyes, "but whose plan was it originally? And whose body suffered from severe hypothermia and pneumonia for weeks afterward?"

Sheik nodded in reluctant affirmation. After another minute or two of thought, he raised his head decisively. "Alright then. Let's get back."

"I knew you were strong enough. But I'm afraid we still have one tiny little problem," I said, gesturing out to the sandy expanse.

The Shadows I had felt earlier had finally gathered and taken on their true shape. Sheik sucked in a breath at the sight of the shadowy snake-formed-Selia slithering around the edges of his magical barrier.

"How did you erect this?" I asked conversationally, watching as she prowled restlessly. I smirked. Selia would get what was coming to her. Again.

Sheik turned his surprise gaze away from Selia. "Fighting Link took just about literally everything I had. With my body on the verge of shutting down, I was able to draw the last of my physical energy and use it to break away from her influence and form the barrier. _She _was still in my head, but at least she could no longer affect me while I was inside here."

"Well then," I said, impressed with his quick-thinking, "shall we put an end to her, once and for all?"

"By all means," he replied, pulling out his whip with a particularly vindictive grin.

I could not help but smile at my nephew. He was resilient, as I knew he would be. I readied myself while Sheik faced Selia. He exhaled softly, then raised his hands high above his head. With a war cry, he slammed his hands down into the earth, shattering the barrier. The force of his blow crashed into Selia, knocking her back.

Sheik charged down the hill, whip swinging, while I brought up the rear. Shadows oozed out of the ground behind Selia, writhing and twisting and positively oozing evil. The Shadows arranged themselves into the figures of the Stalfos I had fought earlier.

With a longsuffering sigh, I drew my knives and fell into the age-old rhythmic dance of battle, while Sheik fought his demons a few yards away. My nephew would survive.

SPOV

My first impression of Selia in her true form was one of complete disgust. To have cleaved her soul and become only half-human was something only the evilest of profligates did.

Even though Impa had failed to mention it, I was quite sure Selia's physical body had already been killed. A gaping hole had taken residence on her neck since the last time I'd seen her. But it seemed her conscious had failed to fade away.

"Sheikah, you disappoint me," she taunted as she and I circled each other. "I had fully expected you to be able to defeat Link. I suppose the fight wasn't exactly fair, though, with you not being in the, ah, _best of health_."

"You don't appear to be in the best of health either," I rejoined.

She hissed and her body hurtled forward, running on animal instinct, before the human half of her checked her movements. She composed her features. "It is completely irrelevant. When your body shut down and you pulled yourself into your little hidey-hole, it gave me uncontested entrance into your mind. I simply transferred my consciousness into your body when that boy ran his sword through my neck."

"Well, not to be rude, but you can't stay." Her tail flicked in annoyance. "And you seem to be forgetting that I have someone here with me," I said, gesturing to Impa, who was surrounded by a pile of dead bodies and in the process of decapitating another Stalfos. "And she sure as hell won't let you stay in here. It looks like you're out of luck."

A roar erupted from her throat and she slunk toward me. "You think that you've won? You think that this ends with me? Ha! You're in for a big fucking shock! Your precious little warrior, the princess, Hyrule, will all be destroyed. Do you hear me? It doesn't matter what you do, _you_ _will never win_."

"False," I answered. With a snap of my wrist, I sent the whip flying into her face, the needles emerging. She jerked back, but not fast enough to evade the raking spines. The needles ripped shreds of her skin off. She sped away, clutching her bloodied face with two of her hands. I followed her movements, landing another solid lash to her retreating back. "How does it feel?" I taunted. She turned to face me, the cuts healing rapidly on her face.

She smirked. "Not bad. The best part of being undead? Quick healing."

I growled in annoyance and darted forward again. We spun and ducked around each other for many minutes, managing only to land a few superficial hits. I was getting pretty pissed, not to mention extremely sick of seeing her distorted face.

"Why—won't—you—die?" I snarled, my face inches from hers, my knives blocked by two of hers.

"Didn't you listen?" she shouted, throwing me back, "I am here to stay, Sheikah."

I watched with disgust and horror as she gave herself over to her instincts, her face widening and her eyes narrowing into near slits, her fangs and spikes elongating. I could hear the bones breaking and reassembling into their new shapes. She shook her head when the change was complete, her forked tongue flickering out of her mouth. I stayed very still as she stared curiously down at me, her head tilted slightly to one side.

Past Selia, Impa fought tirelessly against the reforming Stalfos. The ones she killed were swiftly combining to make new ones, the cycle endless. I turned my attention back to Selia. She was still staring at me, her gaze almost quizzical.

I wasn't sure how to proceed. All of my attacks were virtually pointless, as her body was just restoring itself to health seconds later. I let my eyes travel along her body, looking for weak spots. A faint shadow shimmered on her forehead, almost miniscule, but there. Perhaps an arrow would prove helpful?

Before I could even think about moving, Selia's nostrils flared, and she twisted around to face something behind her.

"What the fuck? Why won't you die?" Link's petulant voice whined.

My heart soared and my feet moved of their own accord, bringing Link into my line of sight. "Link!" I shouted. The sands immediately settled into peaceful stillness.

He turned his eyes upon me and his face split into a radiant smile. He quickly turned his attention back to Selia, however, when she hissed and struck.

Dodging to the side, he narrowly missed her searching fangs. I threw three knives in rapid succession at her exposed back. She bellowed and spun, zooming across the sand toward me. Dropping a handful of Deku nuts, I jumped out of the way and ran to Link.

"Sheik," he sighed, gathering me into his arms. He embraced me fiercely, his arms tight around my waist and back, his forehead in the crook of my neck.

"Don't ever scare me like that again!" he admonished.

I chuckled and stroked his neck. "I'll keep that in mind."

He drew back and glanced around. "Speaking of 'in mind'…you _would_ have a desert landscape in your head."

I grinned and pushed him away. "Shut up Link. Selia's claiming it will be her mind, so let's do something about that, shall we?"

Link growled and whirled to face the recovering Selia. "She just doesn't give up, does she?" Selia shook her head to clear the last of the stunning effects of the nuts, and then moved her body to face us, waiting for us to move first.

"Her recovery capabilities are ridiculously fast. Do you have any ideas?" I questioned.

"Do you see any weak spots?" he asked in return.

"Ah yes. There is one, on her forehead. It's very tiny, right below her hairline above her right eye."

"Er…did you try hitting it?" he asked, his eyes searching for the spot.

"Not yet. It seems the only weaponry that exists in my mind is the weaponry that is expressly mine."

"Okay then," he replied, pulling out the bow.

He held it out to me. "What?" I asked, glancing at him askance.

He shook the bow. "You do it."

I accepted it from him and held it up. His bow was much larger than mine, the tip of its limbs stretching from my head to my knees.

I hummed thoughtfully and strung an arrow, unsure of whether I'd even be able to pull the string back. Selia narrowed her eyes even further and coiled her body, poised to spring.

"Make it a light arrow," Link advised. "I highly doubt a regular arrow will work."

"And how am I supposed to do that? Only those chosen by the goddesses can wield the Arrows of Light."

"Are you not the Chosen of the Sheikah?" Impa queried, coming to stand beside Link and me. I nodded, still skeptical, and looked at the bow. She faced Link. "You have some explaining to do, young man. I told you not to interfere."

"Hey Link, how am I supposed to do this again?"

Link bit back his retort to Impa and shifted his focus to me. "Find it within yourself. It will come to you if you call it forth."

Impa and I stared at Link in bewilderment. "You really sounded like a Sheikah just then," I said with a half-laugh.

He shot me a glare. "It's not my fault! You guy's cryptic remarks are rubbing off on me!"

"Boys," Impa said, "could we hurry things along? I'd like to get back to my real body, if you don't mind."

Impa and Link moved to flank me. I took a breath and faced Selia. She raised her head and stared back at me. I was surprised at her behavior; I guess she figured there was no use in attacking first; time and expendable health _were_ on her side, after all.

Raising the bow, I aimed it at Selia. Her mouth stretched into a rather horrible rendition of a grin and she lifted her head a little higher. Placing my other hand on the string, I drew it back.

The draw weight was tremendous. I grunted in surprise and strained my muscles, struggling to pull the damn string back without looking too much like an idiot.

Once I had the bow at full draw, and aimed at Selia, I closed my eyes to "search inside of me." It struck me as rather ironic that I was searching inside of me when technically I was _already _inside of me…or something along those lines.

Since my own magic welled from the depths of my inner body, I decided that was the best place to look. With the world shut out, I felt for the strands of magic. It took a moment, but then the familiar warmth spread along my limbs. I could feel the tendrils of the different spells curling around my mind, comforting, empowering. I delved past the usual stuff and searched deeper, bringing an image of Light to the forefront of my thoughts.

Heat encased my psyche, burning in my chest and along my arms. The heat was not that of fire, I realized, as it also comforted and…cleansed. I had found it.

My eyes snapping open, I was a little surprised to actually see Light pouring from the tip of the arrow. Selia hissed in anger and reared her head, shocked as well. Re-aiming the bow at her hastily uncoiling body, my eyes met hers for an instance before I released the arrow.

It flew straight and true, cutting through the desert night, dispelling shadows with its radiance. The arrow struck Selia on the head, directly on the smudge of darkness.

Light exploded outward, blinding us all. Selia's scream of pain rent through the night air, an ear-splitting, blood-curdling scream that made me want to clap my hands over my ears.

Link's hand found mine in the confusion. I squeezed it in reassurance. Link returned the pressure.

As the light dissipated and the spots in my eyes faded, I could discern a crumpled figure lying in the sand several dozen yards away.

Breaking the contact with Link, I crossed the sand to kneel at the side of the fallen figure.

Something akin to pity rose in my heart at the sight of Selia, pale and still in death, her face wiped free of any traces of evil. The brand of the snarling wolf had disappeared; her skin was flawless. As I knelt there, her body disintegrated into dust, floating away in the slight breeze.

Link placed his hand on my shoulder. "Well, at least that part is over."

I stood and wrapped my arms around his waist, burying my head in his chest. His arms held me close.

"I'm so sorry, Link."

He made an indignant noise. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Sheik. You were under the control of an evil bitch. It's not your fault." I nodded against his chest, just happy he was there. "And besides, this whole thing just proves that I can beat you in combat."

"HA! As if!" I cried, leaning back and tilting my head up. "I was on the verge of death, and yet you still had to use everything you had to keep me at bay!"

"I was trying _not _to kill you, if you will recall. Had I been going for the kill, you would have been dead almost instantly."

I hummed skeptically. "As much as I disagree with you there, I'd rather not test the theory."

"Ah yes," he replied. "I can think of much better things we could be doing."

And then he kissed me.

Oh sweet goddesses above. Had it really been almost three days since I'd tasted his lips? It felt like forever. His tongue swept across my lips and I opened up to him, allowing him entrance. Our tongues intertwined, the wonderful feelings it elicited and the heat almost overwhelming to my hypersensitive nerves. I groaned into the kiss, raking my fingers violently through his hair. Link's arms yanked me flush against him, our bodies touching from head to toe. I slid my arms down his back and settled them around his waist while his lips continued their assault on mine, probing, tasting, claiming. He bit down on my lip, none-too-gently, and I arched into the kiss, letting loose a particularly loud moan. Link groaned in response and tilted my head back even more, my back bent nearly double. As his hands slipped lower and lower down my back, my body shivering in anticipation, an extremely over-exaggerated cough brought our activities to a halt.

"You know, I can stand a little kissing, maybe even a little tongue, but I have to draw the line at _groping_," Impa said with a glower. "Or anything past that," she added as an afterthought.

"I wasn't _groping _Sheik." Link protested, his arms still wrapped around me.

"You basically were."

"Was not!"

"You kinda were," I interjected. Link glared at me and I grinned. "Not that I wasn't enjoying it."

"I was not groping him."

Impa rolled her eyes. "Fine then. You were _going _to. And I put a stop to it before I had to gouge my eyes out. Can we please go?"

"I suppose," Link sighed, releasing me from the circle of his arms. I stood frozen for a moment. Link's kiss had allowed me to escape reality for a short time, but now, I was heading back to face Zelda and Ruto and the rest of the Zoras. I shuddered.

"Sheik," Impa called, her voice comforting. She noticed my trepidation. "Remember, you must rise above this. Do not allow yourself to fall into the pattern of regret and self-blame. We need you here. Okay?"

Nodding my head slowly, I squared my shoulders and faced Link and Impa. Link reached out and grasped my hand. I smiled at him and Impa, the two people who cared for me enough to find me when I was lost.

I smiled gently. "Understood. Now, let's get back."

**Author Note**: The word 'sororal' actually means pertaining to or characteristic of a sister. The word is semi-obsolete, and it sounds cool out loud. I used it as a name/title/endearment to reflect the familial affection between Sheik and Impa, as well as Impa's relation to Sheik through her deceased sister.

I can promise you that I will not have the next chapter up any time before next Friday. I have a **HUGE **biology lab due next Thursday, as well as multiple tests all this week and next. However, my Christmas break starts on the 19th, so after that I should be able to get a lot of chapters out for you guys. :)


	18. For the Love of Water

Chapter 18 For the Love of Water

Thank you to all of my reviewers:  
**Hunter of Darkness  
****sapzberry  
****Umbrae Calamitas  
****tails doll curse  
****Marlin Lette  
****lydia2693  
****Aerin of the Bow  
****Master Sapphire 69  
****SurunasuGirl-24  
****Okamihanyou-Lin  
****Ryukai-MJ  
****Illyric  
****Mai  
****Alys Lynn  
****Nostarion  
**and** Aya-Shoru!**

So this chapter is a little bit late. All my tests went well, and although the biology lab has yet to be graded, I think I did at least passingly well on it. After the twenty-fifth page, I kind of stopped caring, lol. Then, my internet ceased to work for a couple of days, and I was about to pitch my computer into the pool. But it finally started working again, so here is the latest chapter! This chapter contains a lot of sleepy characters. Beware.

Enjoy!

LPOV

As my consciousness returned to my body, I fell forward in an ungraceful heap across Sheik's bare abdomen. I could feel his chest rise and fall as he drew in a shuddering breath beneath me. Joy sung through my veins. Sheik was back!

I had every intention of resuming my delightful assault on Sheik's mouth, now that we were in our appropriate places, but Impa grabbing me by the ear and hauling me backwards put a quick stop to my plan.

"Ouch! Hey, what are you do—"

"YOU COULD HAVE KILLED SHEIK!" Impa snarled into my face.

I flinched and struggled to get away. "I was being careful! I kept all of my blows in the non-life-threatening category!"

"I'm not referring to that, you gigantic lout!" she bellowed, giving my head an emphatic shake.

"Then what are you talking about?!" I whined, sure my ear was about to detach.

Her lips curling in disgust, she thrust my head away and stood, hands on her hips. "I specifically told you NOT to interfere when I was entering Sheik's mind. You are such a fool, Link! You have no idea how that stuff works! You could have easily, _permanently _damaged Sheik's mind!"

I stole a quick glance at the Sheikah next to me who, aside from moving gingerly and being rather pale, seemed to be in decent shape, especially with that characteristic smirk dancing around his lips.

"But he _is _okay. And you guys might not have gotten out, had I not been there."

"Oh, you just wait, Link. Just wait," Impa threatened, moving to throw a blanket around Sheik's shoulders. I surreptitiously slipped my hand into his.

"Sheik!" Zelda shouted joyously, throwing herself into his arms, "You're alive!"

Sheik grimaced in pain as her body collided with his, his breath coming out in a whoosh. "Hello, Princess," he coughed.

"Ack! I'm sorry Sheik!" she cried, hastily removing her arms. She folded her hands under her chin and looked at him with shining eyes. "I was so worried about you."

Zelda looked pretty rough, completely soaked from head to toe, her hair matted to her head. I could only guess what I looked like.

Sheik leaned forward and rested an arm on his knees, a small smile on his lips. "Thank you, Princess." His eyes skirted the area and his grip on my hand tightened. Understanding came as my gaze followed his.

Although the Zoras and Zelda had cleaned up the area a great deal, signs of a battle still remained. Blood mixed with the water, and Selia's body floated harmlessly nearby. Four dead Zoras lay in a row, their comrades preparing the funeral pyre. The wounded were being tended by Navi and the other fairies, and Valek was dispersing the rest of the dead enemies. The grin disappeared from Sheik's face and he bowed his head in shame.

"Princess, words can not express how truly sorry I am for what my hands have done. The blood I have—"

"Stop right there, Sheik!" Zelda ordered, rising to her feet. Sheik looked up, surprise written on his features. "Don't even go there. I know you were brainwashed. Ruto knows you were brainwashed. The Zora people know you were brainwashed. _No one_ blames you, do you understand me? Yes, you shed innocent blood, but your actions were being controlled by another. Do not fall into a spiral of guilt. We need you here, all of you. Got it?"

"Yes, Princess," Sheik murmured.

Impa smirked and ruffled Sheik's hair. "Told you she'd understand."

Ruto walked forward and knelt by Sheik and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Sheik, it's okay. I don't blame you for anything."

Sheik's eyes raked Ruto's torso. The slash he had inflicted was barely visible, just a thin white line. He lifted a finger and touched it gently.

He didn't meet her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Ruto. For this, and for your people," he added, gesturing to the gathered dead.

She placed a hand under his chin and lifted, forcing him to meet her sad, yet determined gaze. "My people are a warrior race, Sheik. They know the risks they face before they go into battle. Do not despair. All will be well." He nodded slowly. She smiled and released his face, then stood and moved to the funeral pyre, where the Zoras had just placed the last body.

I squeezed his hand reassuringly. We watched in silence as Ruto raised her arms and spoke in the ancient aquatic tongue, Sheik and I sitting on the ground, Impa standing with Zelda off to the side. Navi flew over and settled silently on my shoulder. I offered her a thankful smile; words were not necessary between us. Valek faced the pyre and placed his fist over his heart, a warrior's salute. The Zoras joined hands and hummed, the notes they wove foreign to my ears. Blue fire shot down from the sky and engulfed the pyre, bathing everything in an eerie azure light.

The fire burned brightly for many minutes. The Zoras never ceased their song, and Ruto never lowered her arms. The blue fire did not burn the wood, only the bodies within. The Zoras let loose a collective sigh as four faintly glowing balls rose from the fire and disappeared into the starlit night. Dropping their hands, the Zoras all knelt on the ground, their hands over their hearts, their spears pointing to the sky. The souls had found their way home.

An odd ripple in the flames caught my eye. I stared intently at that spot, sure I had seen something…

I could not contain my gasp of surprise as a figure formed from the flames. Flowing blue hair, a tall, statuesque body, glowing eyes…

"Sheik," I whispered.

"I see her," he whispered in response.

As Nayru's body became more discernable, gasps and murmurs raced through the assembled people.

Zelda stepped forward, the Triforce on her hand shining magnificently. Impa trailed closely behind her, her eyes locked on the fire. The face in the flames grinned and lifted a hand. Light shot outward, blinding us all momentarily. I fiercely blinked away the spots of light and then had my second heart attack that week.

Nayru's face hovered above Sheik's and mine, only inches away, her full lips stretched into a childish smile. I gasped and toppled over backwards. Sheik's body twitched, but he didn't embarrass himself like me.

When I had my wits about me once more, I was able to fully take in the goddess. Nayru had the presence of a mother. She made me want to snuggle into her embrace and let her stroke my hair. She stood tall, just like Din and Farore, but her entire air was softer, somehow. Her hair, a rich indigo, fell to her hips in soft waves. Her gown was simple and flattering, yet spun of the purest cerulean silk. A single pear-shaped sapphire, held in place by a thin gold circlet, graced her forehead.

She tittered at my response and drew back a ways, giving us space. I sat up and tried my best to glare at her. "What is it with you goddesses and giving me heart attacks?"

"_Lighten up a little, young Hero. You'll be in an early grave if you don't acquire a sense of humor_," she chuckled, her voice like the soothing flow of a mountain stream.

"I happen to possess a fantastic sense of humor, thank you oh-so-much. I just don't enjoy having immortals scare the shi—I mean, daylights out of me at every turn," I responded, giving up on the glare and settling for a peaceful smile instead.

Sheik's hand connected sharply with the back of my head. "Link, that is no way to speak to a goddess!" he admonished.

Nayru giggled and turned her incredibly kind eyes on Sheik. "_I am so happy to see you recovered, little Sheikah. You are an amazing young man, to have figured out my puzzle like you did. And not only that, you withstood the touch of evil._"

The troubled light faded from Sheik's eyes. He smiled at Nayru. "You definitely made finding the key a right pain. I was about to just give up on the whole thing."

"_I am glad you did not_." Turning, the goddess rested her gaze on Zelda, who was standing a few feet away, her eyes swimming with tears.

"Nayru," she whispered. Nayru's eyes softened and she held out her arms.

Sheik and I looked on with no small amount of surprise as Zelda threw herself into the goddess's embrace. Nayru laughed tenderly and held the hysterically sobbing Zelda close. Leaning her head down, she whispered into Zelda's ear.

Feeling the moment was a private one, I turned my attention to Sheik. He shifted his eyes to me and raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay?" I asked.

He tilted his head to the side and assessed me. "With the exception of a few small things, I am fine."

"Good," I murmured. I lifted my other hand and ran it down his face, pushing his errant hair back behind his ears. "You do need a hairbrush though," I stated.

"You need a lot more than that," Sheik replied, his eyes taking in my filthy, wet clothes and nappy hair.

"Well, I haven't stopped moving since…what, three days ago? Four? I certainly didn't have time for a bath."

"So I can assume that you successfully recovered the Wind Stone?" he questioned, his free hand tracing circles on my upper thigh.

"After some difficulties, yes." I didn't want to add to his burden yet by speaking of Mido. "And apparently you found the key that leads to the stone?" The feeling of his hand was distracting.

He threw a quick glance at the goddess. She was conversing with Ruto and the other Zoras, offering words of comfort, I assumed. "Yes. Nayru made finding the stone a complete pain in the ass. Her 'map' consisted of a huge system of numbers that corresponded with the different rooms in the water temple. Once I finally found the key, that Selia bitch took it from me and…well, anyway, it was really frustrating."

I grinned at him and leaned forward. "Haha. You got the tough one."

Sheik removed his hand from my thigh. I could feel my mouth stretch into a pout at the loss of contact. "It just proves that I'm smarter than you," he said slyly.

My pout transformed into a sniff of indignation. "Heh. You wish."

His smile turned smug. "Face it, Link, not only can I physically best you in combat, I can outwit you as well."

He looked so enchanting with that superior grin on his face, his arms folded across his chest, that my retort died in my throat. The exultation of having him back, alive and whole, washed through me again. Without any warning, I leaned forward and caught his lips with mine.

Kissing Sheik in his head had been pleasant, sure; but nothing compared to kissing the real Sheik, the one whose body, although soaking wet and covered in nondescript _things_, was warm and pliant beneath my gently seeking hands. I was careful to mind the ribs and newly healed cuts as I traced patterns over his bare chest beneath the blanket. He lifted one hand to cup my cheek, while the other settled on my thigh again and resumed its caresses. The kiss was slow and easy, our tongues sliding together lazily. I didn't want to injure Sheik or overwhelm him, although my body called me to crush him in my arms.

After another minute, Sheik sighed in contentment and drew back. "Thank you, Link," he said, his eyes hazy. I knew he was perilously close to passing out from sheer exhaustion; I was.

A heartfelt, female sigh caused Sheik and I to tear our gazes away from each other. Ruto, Zelda, and Nayru stood watching us, their faces wearing identical, gushy expressions. Even Impa, who was standing slightly behind them, wore a softer look than usual.

Torn between scowling and laughing, I settled for rolling my eyes instead. "Enjoying the view?"

Zelda smiled unrepentantly. "You guys are absolutely adorable."

"_You two are made for each other, did you know_?" Nayru casually asked.

"Er, yeah, Farore let me in on that one," I answered.

"Literally?" Sheik asked hesitantly.

"_Mmhmm_," she replied.

"Well, that explains a lot," Sheik answered breathlessly, his hands almost crushing mine in his grip.

At my questioning look, his lips quirked into a crooked grin. "I'll explain later."

"Link, I hate to interrupt, but we should probably locate the key," Valek said. I hadn't even noticed him, standing by Impa.

"You're right," I said, sighing. Grudgingly I released Sheik's hand and gained my feet. As he made to stand, I placed a staying hand on his shoulder. "Please, Sheik, just rest."

He frowned up at me, his neck tilted back at an extreme angle. "You are ridiculously tall," he muttered. "Listen, Link, this was my quest and I _will _see it through to the end. And you can't stop me," he said, a challenge in his voice.

"Oh? Can't I?" I retorted.

"_Link_," the goddess interjected, clearly amused, "_let him help_."

I snorted and extended a hand to Sheik. "Having the goddess on your side is totally not fair. I can't even begin to argue with her."

Sheik smirked. "It does give one an advantage."

"Smug prat," I scolded affectionately. "Can you at least put on something a tad bit warmer? I'm not going to be wiping your snotty nose if you get sick!"

"_Allow me_," Nayru said. She gave a wave of her hand, and Sheik was clad in an exoskeleton-esque suit that was the same color as her dress. Sheik looked down at the ethereally colored garment in awe.

"Thanks," he managed. "This is…_really _comfortable."

"_No problem_," she replied. "_Shall we proceed_?"

"I would think that the girl had the key?" Valek asked, directing his question at Sheik.

"She should still have it. I don't remember her giving it to anyone else, but then again, I wasn't fully conscious the entire time," he added.

A growl escaped my throat at the reminder of what Sheik had been through. He laid a comforting hand on my arm and the beast within me quieted.

"Allow me," Impa offered, breaking away from the group and moving over to Selia's floating corpse. She stood and stared at it for a few minutes then gave a grunt of satisfaction. She heaved the body into shallower water before grasping one of the numerous spikes. With a tug, the spike dislodged. Impa dropped it unceremoniously into the water and reached into the hollow it had been covering. She gingerly plucked the key from the hole and held it up. Nayru sighed in satisfaction and glided forward.

"_May I_?" she asked Impa politely. Impa's expression was nothing short of shocked at being addressed directly by the goddess.

"Of course." She held out the key, her eyes wide.

Nayru smiled and accepted the proffered key. "_Thank you. I feel I should cut you guys a little slack after all you have been through, especially you, little Sheikah. You need rest, and food. And you, young Hero, need a bath._"

"I—WHAT?" I cried, my indignation exploding. "I—UGH! Never mind. I'm not even going to _try _to reply to that."

Sheik coughed while Zelda laughed openly. Even the Zoras chuckled. I figured if they could derive some amusement, even at my expense, then I should just let it go. The Zoras had had a rough day.

Nayru led our little procession up the stairs onto Jabu-Jabu's old plinth. She stopped in the middle and turned to face us.

"_Had you been doing this part on your own, you would have noticed a certain design on the head of the key. It matches the a pattern on this dais_," she explained, holding up the key and gesturing to the stones beneath our feet. "_I did not want my stone to fall into the wrong hands, mind you_." Her explanation complete, she knelt and placed the key in the center of the pattern. At closer inspection, I could see the design of which she spoke: the stones were arranged in the shape of Zora's Sapphire. Clever.

Nayru clasped her hands and began to hum. _Really _hum. Not just her voice that echoed in my head, but actual, out-loud humming.

Her voice was unbearably sweet. I just wanted to start crying and laughing all at the same time. It was truly overwhelmingly; I could not handle it. Indeed, it was actually painful. Through the haze quickly forming in my head, I could detect the notes of Zelda's Lullaby. My vision was just starting to swim when she ceased her song and the stones began to glow brightly. Leaning forward, I braced my hands on my knees and drew in several deep breaths. Once I was confident I wasn't going to pass out or throw up, I lifted my head. To my surprise, Zelda was once again crying, Ruto had her hands over her heart and was choking back tears, Impa was shaking her head back and forth, and Sheik had adopted the same pose I had. The rest of the Zoras lay on the ground unconscious, while Valek stood by, his gaze unfocused. Navi had fainted on my shoulder.

Nayru turned to face us, her expression sheepish. "_I apologize for that; I know the voice of a goddess is overpowering to mortals, but the situation required my actual voice._"

I waved a hand in her direction. "Not a problem," I gasped.

As Nayru turned her attention back on the glowing floor, the tiles began shifting and rearranging, moving aside to reveal an opening. White marble steps led down into the ground.

Zelda, no longer crying, stepped forward and peered into the hole. Braziers lining the walls flared to life, illuminating a rather lengthy staircase. It spiraled out of sight farther down.

"May we?" Zelda posed the question to Nayru. The goddess smiled and gestured for her to proceed. Impa hastened to follow Zelda closely; Valek, Sheik, and I fell in behind her, and Nayru and Ruto brought up the rear.

No one spoke. We descended for what I deemed a ridiculous amount of time. In my humble opinion, Nayru had taken the whole protecting the stone thing to an entirely separate, not to mention unnecessary, level. Sure, we didn't want any power-hungry, evil sorcerers to get a hold of the Uisge Mor, but all of the steps she had taken were a little bit much.

"Oh my!" Zelda exclaimed from up ahead.

We all rounded the last bend in the staircase and entered an airy, circular chamber, composed of nothing but white marble. Braziers that hung on each of the twenty stately marble columns ringing the room roared to life. The first thing that drew the eyes was the Uisge Mor sitting on a marble podium. The oversized sapphire threw a pattern of iridescent light on the surrounding walls. Pure, clear water flowed from beneath it, spilling over onto the marble base. Grooves had been cut into the floor, about a foot deep and a couple of feet across, creating an indoor stream. The stream extended out on both sides of the plinth and flowed to the walls, where it then wound itself around the perimeter of the room, behind the columns.

Zelda made to step forward, then stopped and spun around. "Sheik, would you please retrieve the stone for me?"

Everyone turned to look at Sheik, who glanced nervously around before settling his gaze on the princess.

"Er, Princess, I think you should do it. This is the stone of your patron goddess, after all," he replied.

"Nonsense, Sheik. Trust me, you deserve it. Besides, I do not think Nayru has any objections," Zelda added with a smile.

I had almost forgotten Nayru was with us. Her presence wasn't nearly as…crushing as Din's, or even Farore's. Her gaze met mine and she winked. I blinked in surprise and shifted my attention to Sheik.

"If that is what you wish," he murmured. Zelda smiled in encouragement, and he stepped forward, across the little marble bridge.

His hands shook slightly as he neared the dais. The stone hummed louder as he approached, the notes, like Nayru's voice, tremendously sweet and heartbreaking, all at once. At first, I did not recognize the song it sang, but after a few moments, I realized that the stone was intoning a mixture of Zelda's Lullaby and the Serenade of Water. As the melody washed over our assembled group, we all sighed, even Nayru. I don't think my ears had ever heard anything so lovely.

Sheik raised his hand and placed it delicately on the side of the stone. The stone practically _crooned_. He carefully lifted the sapphire and cradled it in his arms, and turned back to face us.

Nayru gazed affectionately at the gem. "_Until everything is resolved, the stones will be much safer in your hands, Zelda. Keep a close eye on the Elemental Stones. Evil has a much farther reach than any of you could have ever imagined. Now, I must away. Sages_," she said, sweeping her hand to encompass Ruto, Impa, and Zelda, "_your work is cut out for you. Ruto, protect the Zoras. Impa, protect Zelda. Zelda, protect Hyrule. As for you three_," she turned and grinned at us, "_give 'em hell. The time will come when we will all meet again. Until then_." With a final inclination of her head, she disappeared with a blinding flash of brilliant blue light.

SPOV

I shut my eyes against the onslaught of radiance. Tendrils of comforting heat curled up through my arms, warming my soul. The stone did not ignite my blood like the Aingeal Mor had, but rather sent peace sluicing through me. I had successfully completed my quest…with only a little bit of outside help.

Able to see again, I carried the stone to the Princess's waiting arms. She accepted it gratefully. As the stone connected with her hands, its song swelled and I could almost _feel _the stone's happiness. I might have found it, but Zelda bore the stone's mark.

My objective complete, I turned to Link, the weariness weighing heavily on my body and mind. He held out a hand and I grasped it, allowing him to pull me into his side. I hadn't said anything, but I had a bitching headache, not to mention I felt like I had been run over by a Goron. I rested my head in the crook where his shoulder met his chest. Lowering his head, Link placed a feathery kiss on my temple. I closed my eyes in bliss.

_Made for each other_.

Never had I felt truth so deeply in my bones. From the first moment I had seen Link, something clicked inside of me, a missing piece slipped into place, my soul found its other half. All of our time apart, the furtive glances I stole of him a couple of times a year, the pain of my longing, all served to make _this _so much more potent. I had worried about the pace at which we were moving with our relationship, but knowing that we were fashioned for each other…well, it just made sense.

A huge, jaw popping yawn escaped from my throat.

"Excuse me," I mumbled, my eyelids suddenly feeling like they had a boulder attached to them. I burrowed further into Link's embrace.

His chuckle reverberated through my body. "We better get home. I think the day has been long enough."

"Excellent notion," Zelda said. Even though my eyes were shut, I could feel the sappy grin she had on her face.

Something flitted onto my shoulder and I cracked an eye open. Navi stared intently into my face. "I'm glad you're okay, Sheik. I think I can forgive you for defiling Mercury's fountain now."

I sputtered indignantly as my face took on the hue of a tomato. "I believe Link is to blame for that one."

"Ah no," Link countered, "I specifically remember—umph."

I slapped a hand over his mouth and glared at him through narrowed lashes. "Don't even start."

"What is this fascinating talk about fountains and lascivious activities?" Ruto asked, coming to stand in front of Sheik and I, her hands on her hips.

"Nothing," Link muttered past my hand.

She hummed in disbelief before turning to Zelda. "I must return to my people. I will be by the castle tomorrow. Thank you, all of you, for your help in defending the stone today. I am happy it is in the right hands."

Zelda bowed her head. "No Ruto, thank _you _for providing your forces to help us defend the stone. The soldiers you lost today will be properly honored at the castle soon."

"Princess Ruto," I ventured, wanting to express my grief one last time, "I am so sorry for my actions. If you ever require my assistance for anything, please, just let me know."

She waved a hand. "I know you will always be there for me, Sheik. And I told you, I forgive you completely. If you feel you need to do something as penance, help Link find and destroy this evil. We must return Hyrule to the peaceful place it so recently was. The Seal is still weakening; evil is still very much present."

Zelda nodded in agreement. "Although having Selia out of the way is nice, her death did nothing to deter the continued deterioration of the Seal. I fear that Ganondorf is only getting stronger."

Afraid that I wouldn't be able to regain my feet if I knelt, I settled for bowing my head. "Princess Ruto, Princess Zelda, you have, as always, my loyalty and my sword."

Link's grip tightened around my waist. "Ditto."

Zelda chortled. "Ditto, Link? How very eloquent."

"It's the thought, Zelda, the _thought_, that counts," he replied with a longsuffering sigh.

"I know silly; I was merely teasing you on your amazing articulation capabilities." Zelda stepped forward and placed a hand on Link's cheek, then on mine. "I don't know what I would do without you two," she murmured.

"You would probably have died of boredom. They keep your life interesting," Impa said dryly. Everyone chuckled, but the laughter was filled with fatigue.

"Princess, we should probably get the Stone back to the castle, and those two in bed. They've had a very rough couple of days," Valek inserted quietly. His face reflected the weariness that we were all feeling.

"You are right. Shall we be going, then?" Zelda asked, yawning as well.

I nodded my head sleepily. I wouldn't be able to remain awake much longer. Zelda looked around one more time before gesturing us back up the stairs.

The stairs seemed to go on forever. At some point in the long trek upwards, Link swept me up in his arms as sleep finally claimed me.

**Author Note**: Aw! Sheik is so cuddly and cute! Next chapter: a new complication. It is in the final stages of writing and editing, so leave me lots of reviews and you should have it in time for the New Year!


	19. Here With Me

Chapter 19 Here With Me

Thank you to all of my reviewers:  
**Alys Lynn  
****Hunter of Darkness  
****Okamihanyou-Lin  
****NinjaSheik  
****Illyric  
****lydia2693  
****Ryukai-MJ  
****Marlin Lette  
****Holtza  
****DownMoon  
****Master Sapphire 69  
****Nostarion  
****Solo-Strifer  
**and** SilverMoon Wolf**!

**Author Note**: I tried to get this to you guys last night, but I fell asleep before I could post it. This chapter is a tad bit shorter, but I think the content makes up for it. ;)

Enjoy!

SPOV

Selia's face glowed with malicious glee as she went to press the knife into my skin. I could feel the cold, hard edge of the blade as she let it slide around my abdomen. Her expression contorted as she lifted the knife high, her arm poised to ram it into my gut. Her arm swung down. Before it could connect, however, I screamed and shot into a sitting position, my entire body soaked with sweat, my heart pounding, my eyes wide with terror.

"Sheik!" Link mumbled in concern, sitting up and placing a gentle hand on my arm.

_Only a dream_, I realized, my body slumping in relief. I relaxed into Link's touch, the adrenaline still racing through my veins, the fight-or-flight reaction still very strong.

"It was only a dream, Sheik, you're okay. I'm here," he murmured into my hair. I pressed my face into his neck, trying to suppress the stupid tears that were threatening to spill over, my hands clenched into fists against his chest. It was the fourth time I'd woken up since returning to the castle.

After a meal and a speedy bath, Zelda had placed a sleeping spell over Link and I, as well as magically darkening the room, with a warning that we were to sleep for at least fifteen hours. The spell had worn off fairly quickly; the dreams had started as soon as the barriers had faded from my mind.

Each dream featured Selia, at some stage of her torture. Sheikah were always plagued with dreams, but none in my experience had been so vivid or terrifying. I hated feeling so weak and useless; it was as if I was under the curare again. Something between a growl and a sob broke through my control. Link's arms slipped around my waist and pulled me into his lap, my back against his chest.

He held me securely in his arms as the tears slipped silently down my cheeks. In the midst of battle and directly afterwards, I hadn't been able to fully process the fact that I had been tortured; my mind had locked those thoughts away for later reflection. I guess it was 'later.'

"Sheik, do you want to talk about it?" Link asked softly into my ear, some time later. I considered his question. The room was pitch black; I couldn't even see Link's hands cradling my own. The darkness helped ease my unwillingness to relate what had transpired; Link could only hear my weakness, not see it reflected in my face. I nodded hesitantly. Then I began to speak.

Starting at the very beginning, I told him of my talk with Ruto, learning of the map, and setting off for the Water Temple.

He sighed and clasped me tighter to his chest when I told him of incapacitating Selia.

"You should have just killed the bitch then. It would have saved you a ton of trouble," Link muttered darkly.

I stroked the back of his hand with my forefinger. He unclenched his fist, and I lightly traced his calloused palm. "I believed her to be a human. I didn't want to shed the blood of my own kind. It is one thing to stand against a Dinalfos, but it's an entirely separate thing to stand against a female human. I don't like killing _anything_, actually."

"Neither do I," he murmured, resting his head in the crook of my neck. "But then, that's what sunders us from evil, isn't it?"

"Indeed," I rejoined, slightly distracted. Link was skimming his nose lightly across the top of my shoulder and up my neck. His breath ghosted over the skin behind my ear, causing goose bumps to erupt down my spine. My breathing hitched, and he lifted his head.

"Go on."

Inhaling deeply, I continued.

He laughed openly when I described the map to him.

"Better you than me. I would have gotten hopelessly turned around, or lost my place, or something along those lines, and then I would have just given up."

I harrumphed in response. "Do you know how close I came to that? Whoever designed the Water Temple needs a good slap to the face. I never want to see blue tiles again. And that whole evil Shadow business! Who is sadistic enough to come up with that?"

Link chuckled at my tirade, his warm chest vibrating against my back. "Yeah, I know. The Water Temple is definitely my second least favorite temple."

"And the first?" I asked, intrigued.

He shuddered. "The Shadow Temple."

"Curious," I replied with a smirk.

"Have you ever been down there?" he asked defensively.

"Of course." I laughed. "Don't worry, I dislike it as well. Come to think of it, there really is nothing down there _to_ like."

Link prompted me to continue. I briefly touched on the process of finding the key; it made for a long and boring story anyway. When I came down to Selia capturing me, however, my voice faltered.

"Sheik," he paused. "Whether you want to speak of it or not, I am here for you. I will listen if you wish."

I nodded my head, my hands gripping his tighter. He lowered his head and pressed a kiss to my shoulder.

"I'll...spare you the details," I whispered, staring straight ahead into the darkness. "But it was awful. I was completely helpless. I couldn't…I couldn't move at all. And Selia was so _evil_. She got real pleasure out of it. It made me sick, just her expression. And the _pain_." My hands clenched Link's convulsively. I could feel the tendons and muscles of his abdomen tensing up in reaction to my words. I sighed. Freeing one of my hands, I stroked his arm. "But it's all over now."

"And I'm here with you," he whispered into my hair.

Suddenly, I was desperate to feel Link. I wanted to know that he _was _there. Twisting in his arms, I grasped his face between my hands and kissed him.

LPOV

Sheik's lips met mine with a ferocity I had yet to experience. His kiss held a desperate edge that set my blood on fire. His hands raked through my hair while his mouth moved with mine, his tongue twisting around my own, seeking, searching, his hands clutching me closer. I locked my arms around his waist, straining him against my body. As he bit down on my lower lip, a groan ripped from the back of my throat. I could tell the position was getting uncomfortable for Sheik; his torso was still twisted around backwards. Rising to a kneeling position, I gripped Sheik's waist and lifted, freeing his legs. He rose up to meet me, arching his body into mine, his hands running up and down my back. I groaned again as his lips fell from mine, on to my neck. My breathing was nothing short of gasping pants as he licked a trail across my collarbone.

My whole chest jerked as his tongue trailed lower. I yelped when Sheik took one of my nipples into his mouth, but it quickly became a moan of longing as he licked and teased it, then did the same to the other one. I tried to remember how to breathe as he kissed his way lower. My control was fast flying out of control, and I wanted tonight to be about Sheik. He needed the comfort.

I growled and grabbed him by the shoulders, yanking him up again. I captured his lips with mine, using my height advantage to deepen the kiss. I swept my tongue across his lower lip before slipping it into his mouth and stroking his tongue. Sheik quivered beneath my hands, his body trembling with need. I could feel his arousal, as surely as he could feel mine. Never breaking the kiss, I kept an arm firmly around Sheik's waist, securing him tightly against me, and used the other arm for balance as I lowered us onto the bed.

I broke the kiss to look into his eyes, belatedly realizing that I could kind of see him in the not-as-dark-darkness. "I'm here, Sheik," I whispered, my voice hoarse and rough with desire. His eyes roved across my face, darkened to a fiery ruby color.

He blinked slowly. "As am I." Twining his arms around my neck, he pulled my head down for another searing kiss.

SPOV

Link's hands left a blazing fire in their wake as they trailed across my bare skin. My whole body vibrated with the pleasure of having him there, touching me. I could tell he was trying to hold back, to comfort me. But I needed the fire. I needed the passion.

"Link," I gasped his name against his lips.

"Yeah?" he murmured, breaking away to lick a trail down to my jaw and back.

"Please," I whimpered, thrusting my hips into his. He moaned at the sensation, his hips grinding into mine involuntarily. "Please."

Growling again, he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees so that he was kneeling over me. His eyes practically devoured me. I could only guess what I looked like, panting and wanton beneath him.

"You're so beautiful," he murmured, his eyes tracing my body, his hands not far behind. He lowered his head, still holding the rest of his body up, and took a nipple into his mouth. I arched into him and cried out, my body hypersensitive to his every touch. He flicked his tongue over it, then released it. I moaned at the loss of contact, but sucked in a breath as he trailed his tongue lower, over my abdomen. My body practically hummed with anticipation. He swirled his tongue around my navel, and lower, to the waistband of my night-shorts. He paused, causing me to growl in frustration, and glanced back up at me.

"Are you okay? For this, I mean."

Was he insane? I couldn't even remember my own name, let alone anything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. All I knew was that I wanted his hands and his mouth back on my body. Or I was going to explode.

"_Yes_," I hissed between gritted teeth.

His eyes raked over me again, taking in my mussed hair, swollen lips, heaving chest, and tenting shorts. His mouth stretched into a superior smirk. "Alright then."

Without further ceremony, he tucked his thumbs under my waistband and tugged gently downward. I lifted my hips, allowing him to slip the obstructing piece of clothing off, and then I was completely nude.

Link leaned back, his eyes practically glowing, as he looked at me, _really _looked at me, for the first time. His hand idly stroked my inner thigh, the sensation driving me insane.

"Beautiful," he murmured again, before dragging his hand up to finally, _finally_, touch me.

I threw my head back with a gasp, the feel of his hand on my member almost excruciating in its pleasure. Our flurried encounter in the fountain was nothing compared to this. _This _was pure bliss.

Drawing in ragged breaths, I pushed myself up onto my forearms. My gaze collided with his and held. His hand pulled at me leisurely while he watched my reactions, trying to gauge what felt best; I was too incoherent to guide him.

He angled his fist and squeezed before pumping up and down. No longer in control of my body, a low, mewling noise of pleasure escaped past my lips. Link tightened his fist and my hips thrusted upwards in response.

"Like that, do you?" he asked, his voice a sensual rumble.

"Oh goddesses, yes, don't stop, please, _gods_, don't stop," I babbled.

Through hooded lids, I saw him smile in satisfaction as he quickened the pace of his hand. His rhythm was absolutely perfect. Only a little bit more…

I knew I was close to the edge. Deep in my abdomen, my muscles tensed, tendrils of heat spreading out to my limbs. I opened my mouth to say something to Link, but then the pleasure erupted through my body, leaving me gasping and writhing in its wake. Link sucked in a breath as my essence shot onto his hands and stomach. He pulled at me still, milking me for every last drop. I stared at the ceiling, unable to move, my breath still coming in pants.

After a few moments, I lifted my head to meet Link's deeply satisfied gaze.

"And what are you so smug about?" I asked, mentally cringing at how winded and breathy I sounded.

His eyes were tender as they ran the length of my frame. "That I reduced you to such a state," he said, "makes me unaccountably happy."

Suppressing a groan, I heaved myself into a sitting position. "Link," I started, then paused.

"Yes?" he prompted.

"Thank you. Not for this, although it was bloody brilliant, but for comforting me. And for being here for me."

"No problem," he answered, grinning. I closed the space between us and pressed my lips lightly to his. He shivered as I drew back a centimeter and let my breath dance over his lips. I looked into his sapphire eyes and felt the heat race through me. He opened his mouth to speak, but I covered his words with another kiss.

Shifting our positions so I was kneeling over him, I grinned down at his surprised expression. "Your turn."

LPOV

Sheik seemed intent on pleasing me, too, and since I didn't have any objections…

His mouth was currently delivering light kisses to my chest while his hips ghosted over mine. He was being a terrible tease. My body needed release, and soon. Just _watching_ Sheik come earlier had nearly sent me over the edge. It wouldn't take much now.

His hands drifted lower, skimming over the bulge in my pants, just barely grazing it. The breath hissed through my teeth and I shut my eyes.

"Sheik," I gasped. "I'm not going to last much longer."

"Look at me, Link," he ordered, practically purring. I opened my eyes to meet his lust-filled ones. "I want you to watch."

He slid my night-shorts down, revealing me fully for the first time. I could feel my cheeks burning as he gazed down at my erection, studying it closely.

I was on the verge of saying something snarky, trying to get him to continue, when he leaned forward and tentatively licked the head.

"Goddesses!" I cried out, twisting the sheet beneath my hands. I hadn't been expecting _that_!

He smiled up at me, his eyes mischievous and sinfully sexy. "Like it, do you?"

"Uggnh," I gasped. Keeping his gaze locked on mine, he leaned forward again, placing one hand on my thigh for balance, the other hand wrapping around the base of my member. He dragged his tongue along the underside. Slowly.

My whole body was shaking with the force not to climax immediately. He took as much as could into his mouth, and then—HOLY SHITwhat was he doing with his tongue?!

My body nearly caved then and there, as he somehow managed to swirl his tongue in a spiral around my cock while sucking upwards. A deep and guttural moan poured from my mouth as my hips tried to thrust upward. Sheik grinned around my member and shifted his hands to hold my hips in place.

Sheik also knew I wouldn't last much longer, and therefore made quick work of me after that, going all the way down, then sucking back up. When he did the tongue thing again, my body seized up and the world exploded as I came with a harsh yell.

I dimly heard Sheik cough a couple of times, and I remembered that I hadn't given him any warning.

"Shit, Sheik, I'm sorry," I panted in apology.

He waved a hand at me and smiled. "Don't worry about it. It wasn't that bad."

"Goddesses, it was amazing. Where did you learn to _do_ that?"

He smirked at me. "From you mostly. And I guess you could say I'm a pretty imaginative guy," he said, throwing my earlier words back at me. He waved a hand, and the mess we had made disappeared.

"Come here," I murmured, holding my arms out to him. He sighed in pleasure and slipped into them, snuggling closely into my body, his back against my chest. He grasped my hand and pulled it around his waist, holding it closely to his heart. I pulled the blankets up to our shoulders and settled back down. "Shall we sleep now, Sheik?"

"Yes, please," he mumbled in response, already dropping off.

Dreamless, peaceful sleep claimed Sheik rapidly after that. With my hand against his chest, I could feel his deep and even breaths, as well as the slow and steady rhythm of his heart. I curled around his body like a cat, holding him closer still, trying to keep the nightmares at bay while shamelessly enjoying the feel of the one I loved in my arms.

The one I _loved_.

The goddess had said it herself: we were made for each other. His body was not the only thing that welded flawlessly with mine. His entire being was everything I had ever desired, everything I needed, everything I was not. In him I found my symmetry, my balance.

Love welled deep within me and moved inexplicably through my veins, like the unstoppable flow of molten rock. It burned its way through every fiber of my being, twining itself around my heart and soul, irrevocably binding me to the slumbering Sheikah cradled in my arms.

I sighed and rested my cheek against his hair, inhaling deeply. Even with the smell of the bath soaps sill present, Sheik's own scent was much more prominent: earthy, like the color of his skin, with a hint of spice and something I can only describe as Shadow. It was positively intoxicating. I sighed once more before closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Several things woke me in the morning—or was it afternoon?—first: my stomach was protesting, violently and loudly, at the serious lack of food; secondly: light streamed in through the open windows, making me think it must be early afternoon; and thirdly: Navi was tugging on the blankets and making an unholy racket.

"Gah," I muttered, burrowing my head into Sheik's neck, trying to block out the light and the noise. "Go away!"

"Link!" Navi cried shrilly, "You haven't eaten in only the goddesses know how long, and neither has Sheik. You've been sleeping for at least seventeen hours, and Hyrule isn't saving itself!"

I groaned and swatted my hand in Navi's direction. She huffed and yanked a piece of my hair. "Don't try and hit me!" she exclaimed.

I grinned against Sheik's neck. "Navi. Go away."

"Link," Sheik murmured sleepily, "that is no way to speak to your guardian fairy."

"Mmm…but I want to sleep," I protested, keeping my eyes closed and Sheik tight against my body.

Navi huffed and then there was silence.

"Are we alone now?" Sheik asked quietly, his fingers tracing patterns over mine.

"I think—"

"SHEIK!"

"—not," I replied, rolling my eyes as Zelda burst into the room.

A whole entourage of servants followed her, bearing plates of steaming food and, oh goddesses, the _seamstresses _were there.

With a resigned sigh, Sheik and I sat up, our hands still clasped, to face the world again.

* * *

"Why can't evil take a day off?" I complained a little while later, my second plate of food now lying empty by my feet, Navi settled smugly on my knee.

"They don't know how to have fun," Zelda answered, nursing a cup of tea. We all sat on the bed, Sheik and I against the headboard, Zelda and Impa at the foot.

"They should learn," I groused, eyeing the seamstresses who were chattering excitedly about some new outfit and setting up their equipment. "So what are you planning now?"

"Already planned," Zelda corrected. "Remember the picnic we were supposed to have? The day after the banquet?" We nodded and she continued. "Well, I figured tomorrow would be as good a time as ever to hold it. Everyone needs a break. The damage done to Market Town has been repaired, and Kakariko has been cleared of all debris and is being rebuilt as we speak. It won't be a huge thing; obviously we can't leave our posts completely unguarded. But the nobles and the townsfolk need some respite. And," she added dryly, "my father won't stop hounding me about it."

Figures. Leave it to the king to be worrying about a bloody _picnic_ when the biggest Evil in the world was only a broken Seal away from being released again.

"The Sages will be keeping an extra sharp watch on the Temples and on the Seal, as well. Fortifications have been put into place around Kokiri Forest, Zora's Domain, and Lake Hylia, not to mention the hefty wards protecting Market Town and Kakariko. I think," Impa paused, "I think it will be okay."

Sheik and I exchanged glances. "If that is what you wish, Princess," Sheik answered.

Zelda smiled brightly. "There will be food, and games, and demonstrations. I was hoping, Link, that maybe you and Valek could…?" she trailed off suggestively.

"UGH! I suppose, Zelda."

"Thank you!" she grinned, clapping her hands. "And maybe, for some music, you and Sheik could…?"

"Yes, yes, whatever I can do to make you happy," I muttered, bowing from the waist. Zelda giggled and Impa raised an amused eyebrow.

"So, Princess, are the Stones safe now?" Sheik asked.

"Of course. You should have heard the melody they created when they were all together again. In fact, I'll have to take you by later so you can hear it. It's literally breathtaking," Zelda chattered.

I turned and caught Sheik staring at Impa, his expression quizzical. Impa's eyes were intense on Sheik's, obviously communicating something she didn't want others to hear. I blinked and their expressions were back to normal, turned again on Zelda.

I shook my head. What was that about?

"Link!" Zelda ordered, poking me in the foot. I gasped and jerked it out of her range and tucked it beneath me.

"Ticklish?" Sheik drawled lazily.

"Nope." I retorted stubbornly, folding my arms across my chest.

"Hmm," he responded, skeptical. I pointedly gazed at him, then at Impa. He shook his head minutely, his expression clearly saying 'Later.'

Changing the subject, I turned to Zelda. "Zelda, is it really necessary that we have new clothes?"

"Absolutely," Zitori, Irys, and Zelda replied in unison.

I groaned and reconciled myself to more manhandling.

**Author Note:** Whoo! Well, that was like five pages of solid kissing, cuddling, and sex. Was it too much, too little? I need some feedback here!

Oh my goodness, the picnic is not lost after all! We shall finally get to see Link and Valek spar, in addition to new outfits, kissing, and plot development.

And what _were_ Sheik and Impa talking about? Perhaps the complication I mentioned before? I guess you'll just have to wait and see…Till next time!


	20. The Visit of the Unexpected

Chapter 20 The Visit of the Unexpected

Thank you to all of my reviewers:

**DownMoon  
****SilverMoon Wolf  
****Alys Lynn  
****Holtza  
****Hunter of Darkness  
****SurunasuGirl-24  
****Okamihanyou-Lin  
****Illyric  
****NinjaSheik  
****Master Sapphire 69  
****Mai  
****TopazEyesForever  
****auranight  
****Ryukai-MJ  
****wrennn  
****Sanctuary Aya  
****Dust to Dusk  
****Haikari  
****Shadow of ZAFT  
****Nostarion**

Phew, that's a lot of reviews. Thank you, thank you, to everyone who reviewed and has borne with me through this little hiatus. The last couple of months were pretty rough, just with school alone, not to mention problems within my family, and with friends. But I'm back in business! This chapter's a wee bit on the short side, but with my summer break only two scant weeks away, you won't have to wait long for an update, I promise.

Enjoy!

LPOV

"Stop fidgeting," Sheik murmured. His eyes flickered up to meet mine before he lowered them again to his chosen task. Idly, I examined his hands, which were working their way through a ludicrous amount of buttons on the front of my new tunic. His fingers practically flew; they were tanned, so well formed; delicate and masculine all at once.

The picnic was today. Despite my fervent wishes, the day had dawned bright and clear, not a cloud in the sky or an enemy on the horizon.

After waking the day before, and enduring a visit from the seamstresses, Sheik and I had basically lounged around and rested. A leisurely trip to the barn to tend to our horses, a hearty dinner, and more snuggling and lazy kisses rounded out the day. Zelda had yet to disclose to us the details of the forthcoming picnic; she hadn't wished to ruin our day of relaxation. She was due at any moment though, which hastened our dressing.

"There," he pronounced, stepping away to view his work. I allowed my eyes to rake languidly over his figure. Zelda's latest contribution to his wardrobe consisted of an outfit that was, for once, _not _irresistibly skintight: black pants tucked into knee high riding boots and a dark red shirt that matched his eyes. His face was bare, his hair pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. Even with the lingering Sheikah-y shadow-ness, he looked absolutely breathtaking. I sighed.

"What is that ridiculous look for?" he asked, catching my expression.

Smiling mischievously, I slipped an arm around his waist and drew him closer. Resting my forehead against his, I sighed again. "Nothing. You're just ridiculously perfect."

He squirmed against me, a frown and smirk warring on his lips. "You are so full of shit."

"Stop fidgeting," I said, throwing his earlier words back to him. "I want to get in a good kiss before we have to head out for the rest of the day."

He stilled beneath my hands as his eyes swept up to mine, his quirked eyebrows belying his innocent gaze. "Was your wakeup call this morning not enough?"

A shiver ran down my spine at his husky tone while my body responded to the memory of his "wakeup call"…him kissing me awake, his body pressed tightly against mine…

And just like that, the constantly smoldering embers erupted into flames, sweeping through my veins. With no further warning, I yanked him flush against me and claimed his lips with a searing kiss. His arms slithered around my neck as he arched into me. Sweeping my tongue across his lower lip, he immediately opened up to me, his mouth hot against mine. He roughly massaged my tongue with his before pulling back to nip my lower lip with his teeth. I growled and opened my eyes, shifting my hands to his shoulders and shoving him back against the wall. His hands grabbed my hips and pulled them unyieldingly against his. He threw his head back and groaned at the delicious friction. Lowering my head, I attacked his proffered neck, biting the tender skin, eliciting more moans. He thrust his hands into my hair and yanked my head back up, his lips meeting mine again in a ferocious kiss. A groan ripped from the back of my throat as our mouths moved together and his hips rutted against mine. I growled and pushed him hard back against the wall, pinning him into place. His hands were just slipping into my pants when reality crashed around us.

"Ahem," a voice coughed near the door.

Sheik and I froze, turning our heads as one toward the intruder. The King of Hyrule stood in the doorway.

Heat surged upward from my toes across my entire body. My face flaming red, I dropped my hands from Sheik's face. He stepped away, his expression mirroring mine, as we straightened our clothing. His hands twitched toward his face as if to cover it, a reaction I had seen from Sheik in previous encounters with the King, when he had been without his face wrap.

I coughed nervously and the King raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I didn't expect _that _coming in here," he said. My shoulders slumped in relief at his mild tone.

"Er…I'm sorry, Your Majesty," I mumbled.

He waved a hand dismissively and paced further into the room. "Don't worry about it Link. I must say I'm a little relieved. I was always worried that you might have the hots for Zelda, and then I would have had to get involved, and we would have had to have the dreadfully clichéd, you-can't-marry-my-daughter, she's-a-princess-and-you're-only-a-soldier talk. I'm glad we can avoid that." The king plopped onto the divan at the end of the bed and regarded Sheik and I with a placid expression.

Torn between taking offense and smirking in amusement, I merely lifted a brow in response and waited for him to continue his speech. Sheik remained silent at my side.

"So, we have the picnic today boys. This picnic will be an important event, politically speaking. The nobility haven't really gotten the chance to interact with Valek in a relaxed atmosphere. The ball was too formal, and dealing with the attack on the town hardly promoted leisurely acquaintance-making. Such alliances must be established, you understand, since Valek will one day be king. He'll have to lead these people, through whatever troubles may come." Shadows clouded the King's eyes, some of which I was sure he didn't fully understand. He shook his head and added as an afterthought, "You two will of course be acting as body-guards to Zelda."

"Of course, Your Highness," Sheik responded, his tone a little brusque. His hands, I noticed, were clenched tightly behind his back, and his features were tense.

Casting him a confused glance, I quickly interjected. "So what time will we need to meet the Princess?"

"No need for that," Zelda said airily as she swept into the room. Her flimsy cottony dress, colored summer green, billowed around her legs. Her hair had been plaited and wrapped around her head like a crown.

"You look lovely, Princess," I complimented, noting the faint bloom of color in her cheeks and the dewy freshness to her eyes.

"Thank you," she replied, waving a hand. Kneeling at her father's feet, she took his hands and regarded him with a stern gaze. "Look, Father, I know today is important to you. But I want you to remember that the safety of the people will be the number one priority. If anything starts to go wrong, or I get any whiff of danger, I WILL be removing everyone from the area immediately, the party and politics and alliance-making be damned."

The King's eyes widened marginally at her last comment, but he re-thought whatever comment he was about to make. I imagine he realized that Zelda had made plenty of concessions already, and wasn't going to put up with any more complications. So instead, he nodded his consent. "Right. The safety of the people is priority."

I cheered silently at Zelda's no-nonsense way of dealing with her father. How the man could be more worried about political alliances than impending enemy takeover was beyond me.

Sheik's elbow in my side brought my attention back to the present. "Link, can you focus please?" Zelda asked, her hands on her hips.

"Sorry," I muttered, shooting Sheik a half-hearted glare. His eyes had already returned to the lounging form of the King, filled with what appeared to be trepidation. I made a mental note to ask about it when the next opportunity presented itself.

Once Zelda was sure that she had my attention, she outlined her plan for the picnic, ticking things off her fingers and pacing all the while. "The picnic shall be held on the banks of the river that runs along the west side of Hyrule, outside the castle walls. Carriages shall be used to convey the ladies and gentlemen not inclined to ride, while everyone else will be going on horseback. The first order of entertainment shall be music and dancers, and then lunch will be served while the musicians continue to play. After lunch, a variety of lawn games will be offered for the nobles to play; croquet, tennis, whatever. Then, I was thinking that you and Sheik can play for us, and we can round out the day with sparring matches, culminating in the match between Valek and Link." She stopped her pacing and faced us squarely. "So…what do you think?" she inquired.

My shoulders moved in their characteristic shrug while Sheik murmured his consent. "What protective measures have been taken?" I felt the need to ask.

"Impa shall remain with me. Darunia and the Gorons will stay at the castle and town with several armed troops. Saria and the Kokiri are keeping vigilance in the Sacred Forest Meadow; Ruto and her Zora's are watching over the various water sources; Nabooru will remain in the Gerudo Desert, but her second-in-command, Aveil, will be joining us today, as will a dispatch of Gerudo warriors. The warriors are actually also our dancers."

Dancing Gerudos? Fantastic.

"Is Kakariko Village and Death Mountain to remain unguarded, then?" Sheik ventured, his hands still clenched.

"Protective wards have been placed over both areas, Sheik, and Hylian guards are keeping an eye on things," Impa answered, detaching herself from the shadows. I hadn't even seen her walk in. The woman had more stealth than a Wallmaster.

Sheik nodded his head, his gaze catching Impa's. His eyes darted to the King and back, and he minutely shook his head. Impa took all this without blinking.

Okay, something was _definitely _going on.

"What time is it?" the King asked with an impatient glance toward the shuttered window.

"A quarter till nine, my King," Impa replied, finally breaking her staring contest with Sheik. "I think it would be best if we moved toward the stables. As far as I know, all of the nobles are assembled, and are only awaiting your presence."

"Well by all means then!" the King shouted good-naturedly, slapping a hand to his thigh and rising to his feet.

"Do you have all of your weapons, boys?" Impa asked, her eyes trailing over us.

"Yes, Impa," Sheik answered, fingering the sword strapped to his lower back. I assumed that he had stuffed the rest of his endless supply of throwing knives and daggers into various parts of his suit. I opted to just use my pouch. Impa nodded and gestured for the King and Zelda to precede her out of the room. As Sheik made to follow, I grabbed his arm I hauled him back into the bathing chamber.

"Hey!" he protested, pulling his arm free. He seemed exponentially tenser than he had before the king walked into the room.

"Sheik, what's going on?" I blurted, my eyes searching his features.

"What are you talking about?" he rebutted, rubbing his wrist.

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about. There was that whole silent communication between you and Impa the other night," I exclaimed, waving my arms around, "and then today you get all uptight when you talk to the King, and then you do more non-verbal communications. _What _is going on?"

Sheik remained silent. When he tried to look away, I grabbed his chin and forced him to look at me. His ruby eyes pierced my own defiantly. I softened my grip and spoke.

"Sheik."

His eyes searched mine before he visibly deflated, his shoulders slumping and his eyes loosing the sheen of defiance. "Alright. I'll tell you." I nodded and dropped my hand.

"Link, do you recall what topic we were discussing when Impa and I had this interchange?"

"Zelda had just mentioned the reuniting of the stones, and how they had sounded simply incredible together," I promptly replied.

Sheik nodded his head and stared at the window for a moment before returning his gaze to mine. "Neither you nor I was there when the stones were reunited. Did you happen to feel anything during that time that might have been a result of this reuniting?"

I thought back for a moment, trying to place any abnormal feelings or sensations. "No," I answered slowly. "Not that I can remember."

Sheik nodded once again to himself, as if affirming some internal presumption. "When the stones were put together again, they did indeed sing the most beautiful of songs, one which neither of us heard. However, there was something more to their song, an ulterior melody that cannot be heard by anyone except the Sheikahs. The call, or siren, if you will, that the stones sent out surged through my bloodstream, wrapping itself around my mind and soul, filling me with a deep sense of unease and urgency. Impa felt all of this, too."

"What does it mean?" I asked, my mind trying to make sense of the situation.

"I do not know," Sheik said, pacing back and forth. "The sense of urgency and unrest has only increased since that night. What worries me most, however, is this siren call. It's almost as if the stones are _summoning _someth—" Sheik broke off mid-sentence, his gaze fixed on something over my shoulder. I turned to find Valek standing in the doorway. My cordial, blank mask immediately dropped into place.

"I'm sorry to intrude," Valek said, his hands out in front of him. "Zelda sent me to search for you two. She said that everyone is waiting for your arrival, so that the picnic can commence."

"Of course," I said, "Sheik and I were just coming down. We're sorry to have made everyone wait."

"Oh, the Princess was exaggerating just a smidge. Not everyone is here yet, and a few horses have yet to be saddled." Valek flashed a grin. "Shall we go down together?"

Sheik and I exchanged the briefest of glances. He preceded me out the door, his explanations put on hold for the time being. Valek closed up the chamber and walked beside us.

"I must confess that I am looking forward to our match today, Link."

"Indeed," I nearly drawled. "It has been a great while since I've engaged in a sparring match. Most of the matches I'm involved in generally result in someone, or something's, death."

"As a protector of the Princess, that is to be expected," Valek said, his voice strangely serious. Turning my head, I regarded him fully.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" I asked.

Valek continued striding down the hallway, his forehead creased in consternation. "The Princess is the hope of Hyrule. She may be strong, possessing extraordinary power, as well as being the Seventh Sage, but she is still a young lady, hardly out of her childhood. She must be protected at all costs, do not you agree?"

"Completely." I mused over his statements regarding Zelda as we headed for the stables. His summation of Zelda was pretty dead-on. No matter how many times I reminded myself that she was the Seventh Sage and extremely powerful, I could not help but feel the overwhelming urge to protect her.

Our boots struck the cobblestone pathway, the sounds echoing strangely in the rounded tunnel. We came out the other side into the stable courtyard, which was filled with nobles of every shape and size, as well as copious numbers of carriages and horses.

"Until later, Link, Sheik," Valek saluted both of us before turning to the carriage he was sharing with Zelda and the King.

"This is madness," Sheik commented, his fingers surreptitiously threading their way through mine, keeping us linked in the chaos.

"How can you say that after being in Clock Town? _That _was madness. By comparison, this is like a stroll through a deserted field."

At that moment a horse swung its rump around, nearly trampling Sheik onto the stones. He leapt out of the way and regarded me sardonically. "Deserted field, did you say?"

"Well, maybe not completely deserted," I allowed. He shook his head with a quiet chuckle, and his fingers found mine again as the dusky interior of the farthest stable enveloped our figures.

SPOV

By some very smoothly executed operations, and maybe a small miracle, the whole retinue rolled out of the courtyard within ten minutes of mine and Link's arrival. Each carriage had two mounted guards on each side of it, and every two nobles on horseback had two mounted guards as well. Impa and Talone led the procession, with two columns of six guards riding behind them. The royal carriage came after that, with more than twenty guards riding in formation around it. The nobles followed, in their various order of rank, with more guards bringing up the rear. Link and I rode on either side of the group, keeping an eye out for any disturbances.

What might seem to an outsider as extreme measures was still incredibly worrisome to me. I eyed the measly soldiers and couldn't help but think how easily any half-way decent monster could overpower them. The only real protection these people had came from Impa, Zelda, Link, and me.

For all the preparation and grand security precautions, the trip to the actual site was relatively short. Rounding the rocky crag, the spot came into view, and 'oohs' and 'ahs' gushed from all the nobles.

Zelda had had the area transformed into an Oriental paradise. Round rice-paper lanterns, of all sizes and colors, hung from just about every branch of the surrounding trees. A footbridge, an intricately-carved, white affair, spanned the cheerfully bubbling river. Flowering cheery trees had been planted on the opposite side of the river, their blossoms drifting gently to the ground on the slightest breeze. The trees came together in a circle, forming a lovely clearing in which mats, low tables, cushions, and benches had been arrayed.

The guests departed from their carriages and gazed around, shaking out the stiffness incurred from the jostling ride. Stable hands came forward to take the horses and carriages off to the west side of the enclosure, effectively blocking off western access to Hyrule Field. A strategic move, of course. I dismounted and handed Samar off to one of the handlers then strode off to join the guards surrounding the Princess.

More and more servants glided about, guiding the guests to the pavilion, accepting wraps and bags, and managing the food. Extremely well-trained, the Princess' staff moved confidently around the area, polite and efficient. My eyes snagged on Link's impressive figure. He carefully led an old woman (stooping under the weight of at least ten pounds of various precious gems) across the bridge and into the wonderland of cherry blossoms. Flicking my gaze over the rest of the assembled guests, I took in Zelda and Valek moving to their seat of honor, along with the King, with Impa shadowing Zelda's every move, her eyes shrewd and ever-watchful.

A flicker of shadow in the trees arrested my attention. No one else seemed to have noticed that there were people crouching in the middle branches of the cherry trees. A smirk twitched the corner of my lips as I spotted Aveil and the other Gerudo dancers shift uncomfortably in their cramped positions. It looked like the entertainment was going to have a surprise entrance.

Link had settled behind the Princess, completing the circle of protection around her, the King, Valek, Impa, and Talone taking up the other positions. I glanced back at the field. Any attack on the Princess' life would be rendered almost impossible. Nonetheless, I was troubled. A long-distance attack would still be doable. Scanning the field, I picked the most likely line-of-fire and planted myself firmly in the middle of it.

After a few more minutes of shuffling people about, everyone was finally seated on their cushions or benches. The guards not standing watch over the carriages and horses arranged themselves around the trees and bridge. Once all movement had ceased, the King stood to address the crowd.

"Lords and ladies, it is my pleasure to have you all here today, to celebrate life and love and a chance at a new day." Agreeing murmurs spread through the guests. The King smiled and continued. "We live in uncertain times, so every opportunity must be grasped to live life to the fullest. I invite you to enjoy yourselves today. Forget your worries and burdens. Our own Princess has organized all of today's amusements herself, so we know it will be excellent. Now, let the entertainment begin!"

The lighting in the area magically dimmed as the King took his seat, almost to the point of darkness. The musicians, seated in the trees around the circle, began a slow, rhythmic beat, using large cellos. The Gerudos, dressed in loose-fitting, white cotton pants, and long, tunic-like tops began their descent from the trees, their movements slow, poised, and measured. Each had their hair braided into two long plaits, and pink slippers enclosed their feet.

Violins picked up the melody as the dancers touched the blossom-laden ground. Their hands moved in graceful little patterns as they weaved back and forth, dipping low and weaving hypnotically around the circle of nobles. A lone oboe took the lead and Aveil danced forward, her garb slightly more elaborate. She sashayed up to Valek and Zelda, her body swaying with the music, her arms twining around her body. The other dancers joined hands and stepped slowly with the music around the circle while Aveil continued her solitary dance, the music guiding her, her every movement seductively drawing the eyes.

The music thrummed through my veins, arresting my whole attention, intoxicatingly hypnotic.

Drawing to a close, Aveil and the other Gerudos backed slowly away from the guests, their steps in tandem with each other and the undulating beat of the stringed instruments. As the music reached its end, the Gerudos rose once again into the trees. Heads shook all around as everyone seemed to awaken, as if from a sleep. Loud applause erupted moments later.

Catching Link's eye from across the circle, I returned his grin. His awareness had been as thoroughly ensnared as mine. The guests began to chat excitedly amongst themselves, and servants came forward with platters of food.

Minutes passed. Shifting my weight, I decided to take a position closer to Zelda. As I lifted my foot, a flurry of motion caught my eye and my body froze in place as time slowed to a stop.

New, darker shadows dropped from the trees, each bearing the body of a still Gerudo, which they immediately placed on the ground. A dozen shapes materialized, as if from nowhere, around the King, Zelda, Link, Valek, Impa, and Talone, each holding various lethal weapons. The nobles sat in dazed silence as more and more figures entered the area until they outnumbered us, at least three to one. An eerie silence settled over the clearing, and no one moved. Impa's burning eyes bored into mine as she sent a single, frantic message.

"_It's happening, Sheik. Get Zelda and go!_"

Author Note: Oh, that's a bad cliffhanger! And I know, it's a little confusing. You're not really supposed to know what's going on right now anyway (most of the characters don't). But it will all make sense in the next few chapters!

The dance that the Gerudos performed is based on the Arabian Dance out of The Nutcracker Ballet. The music that they danced to is, of course, the song by the same name. If you want to see a little bit what I had imagined their dance to look like, go to youtube and type in "Arabian Dance – The Nutcracker", and it's the first one that shows up. Till next time!


	21. A Forgotten Faction

Chapter 21 A Forgotten Faction

Thank you to all of my reviewers:  
**FullxTimexHacker,  
BiancaNegra,  
mama-Ichigo,  
merlyn1832,  
Ryukai-MJ,  
Alys Lynn,  
BB Bunni-chan,  
Master Sapphire 69,  
Hunter of Darkness,  
Marlin Lette,  
Okamihanyou-Lin,  
NinjaSheik,  
Illyric,  
and wrennn!**

So I hit quite a bump in the middle of this chapter, and basically scrapped the whole thing and started over (which is why it's a little on the late side). Lots of plot development here, so keep an eye out for it! Also, there are references made to things in previous chapters, seemingly unimportant things, so look for those, too. Enjoy! :)

LPOV

"Don't even think about it," a voice growled in my ear. My hand that had twitched toward my sword fell still, and my mouth tightened in anger.

I had no idea how I had missed the entrance of all those shadowy figures into the trees. I had just been standing there, recovering from the Gerudos' mesmerizing dance, and then I had a sword at my throat, head, heart, and groin. For the moment, I wasn't going anywhere.

No one else had moved, either. Every noble had at least two armed men on each side; Zelda, Impa, Talone, the King, Valek, and I had more than twenty watching over us.

The men surrounding me were all consummate warriors, I could tell. The way they held their weapons, and their bodies, was a dead giveaway. Each man wore black pants and a black long-sleeved shirt, which contained a hood, and riding boots. The upper part of their faces was hidden by shadow.

Impa's body next to mine was absolutely rigid. She had her eyes locked with Sheik's across the crowded clearing, who seemed frozen in place. Zelda sat, perfectly immobile, her eyes fixed on one figure amongst all the others. Following her gaze, my eyes landed on a man whose very presence emanated power. He was the only one out of all the men wearing white. He smirked and stepped forward, sword in hand.

Stopping before Zelda, he bent at the waist in a mocking bow. "Princess…so we meet at last." As he rose, he pushed his hood back, revealing his full face. His hair, which curled gently around his ears, was a bronzed russet, while his eyes were an eerie mauve shade. Apart from the longsword he held, I took in the shortsword strapped diagonally across his back, its hilt angled toward his left hip, and the numerous throwing knives he had strapped in a leather holster around his waist. He stood probably six feet, but his body was clearly in peak condition; the muscles rippled beneath the white cloth of his shirt as he extended his arm. Placing the sword under Zelda's chin, he lifted gently. Impa stirred restlessly beside me, and the guards standing next to her increased the pressure of the knife against her neck. She stilled, her body on a hair-trigger.

Darting a glance at Impa, the man suddenly lunged forward, his movements a blur, and pressed the blade into Zelda's neck. She craned her head backwards, further exposing her neck, yet trying to escape the blade. The man's face was inches from hers as he stared hard into her eyes. He shouted at her in a language that I hadn't heard anyone speak in a long time; a language that rolled heavily off the tongue and heavily into the ears; a language that bespoke of ancientness and power. Fumbling for a moment into my memory, I finally came up with the correct words to translate.

"Where are they?" he yelled into Zelda's shocked face.

Her eyes wide, she answered him in the same language. "Safe from tyrants."

I did not know what the two were talking about, but something in Zelda's answer made the man pause. He gazed steadily into her eyes for what seemed like an eternity before he eased the pressure on her neck and stepped back, his tight expression relaxing a miniscule amount.

Zelda shifted her eyes toward Impa, whose face was an unhealthily blotchy color, then back to the man in front of her. "Who are you?" she demanded, switching back to the common Hylian language, her voice imperious, carrying the weight of her authority as the leader of Hyrule.

"Deartháireacha faoi airm. A faction of people you seem to have forgotten."

Impa eyes widened a slight margin in surprise. Zelda shifted her eyes once again to Impa then back to the man. "Brothers of the Blood," she translated.

The man raised his eyebrows. "Yes. Not many can translate the Ancient Tongue. Or speak it," he added.

"All Sages know the Ancient Tongue, as do the holders of the Triforce," she replied, her gaze flickering to mine for a moment.

Turning to me, the man lifted a palm. "Link, the bearer of the Triforce of Courage. Greetings." I regarded him with extreme skepticism, but made no move. He continued. "I am well aware of your station, Princess, as the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom, the leader of Hyrule, and the Seventh Sage. I know of your Sheikah guardian, also a Sage, and the young Sheikah, whose power is yet unknown. All of this does not intimidate me, nor will it help you get out of this situation. So I suggest you stop your silent communications!" The man's voice cracked like a whip as he swung to face Impa, sword extended to touch her neck, the other hand held out toward Sheik, a ball of black energy forming in his palm. "Cease, or you will both die."

"Stop!" Zelda cried. My own cry hadn't made it past my lips. The leader flicked his gaze over the Princess, then to me, and then back and forth between Impa and Sheik.

"I do not wish for any unnecessary bloodshed. Do not force my hand." Lowering his sword, the man flipped his palm up again and the ball of energy disappeared.

"What is your name?" The question came from Valek, about whom I had completely forgotten. The leader turned his gaze upon Valek and considered him for a moment, his forehead creased in concentration.

"And you must be the reclusive new fiancé, Prince Valek." Valek nodded his head, his expression stony and unyielding. His body, too, was rigid and poised for action. "My name is Kein. I am sure you have figured out by now that I am the leader of this group." He waved an arm, encompassing all of the gathered men.

"What is it that you want from us?" Zelda asked, her face solemn and wary.

The man must want something, I figured, since he probably could have killed off most of us without breaking a sweat. Of course, the problem now was figuring out for what he had indeed come.

"I think we should go somewhere a little more private for this conversation, do you not agree, Impa?" Kein addressed Impa suddenly, shifting his attention once again to her.

"If that is what you wish," she replied tonelessly. "But I come, as do Link and Sheik."

"Sheikah, you are not in a position to be making demands of me," Kein warned, his voice silky smooth.

"You said not to force your hand. Do not force mine, either."

Kein deliberated for a moment, then turned to one of his men. They conversed quietly in a language I had never heard for a minute or so before turning back to the group. "A dispatch of my men will stay with the rest of your people. No one will be harmed, provided that everyone behaves themselves. You, Princess, and your Sage-guardian and golden boys will be coming with me."

"May I ask where you are taking them?" Valek questioned.

"No. No you may not." Kein's mouth stretched into a smirk as he raised a hand. With another flick of his palm, the world dissolved around me and my breath whooshed from my lungs.

SPOV

Thoughts swirled in my head as I tried to sort out the situation. A memory surfaced and I let it wash over me as the world slid out of focus.

"_Do I have to go to evening lessons today? Tonight is the New Moon. I want to help with the preparations!"_

"_Sheik!" Saluz reprimanded gently, "You know how important your lessons are. The history of our people must be preserved in the minds of young ones so that it may be passed on to future generations. You are the key to the future, and the vessel to the past."_

"_You tell me that all the time. But I guess I understand. I'll go to the lesson."_

"_Thank you, young one. Besides, you know Impa does not like it when you miss lessons."_

The memory fast-forwarded to the actual lecture that occurred that day, so many years ago.

_The teacher held up a scroll. "Our people used to stretch across the dimensions like the goddesses themselves. They were not bound to just Hyrule." She tapped the scroll against her palm. "Their main job, even in other worlds, was one of protection. One of our most ancient tribes lived in a land known as Darumina. This faction of Sheikah worked at keeping too much power out of the hands of a single group or person. They maintained balance in the world, performing cleansing rituals. They were rumored to possess an artifact, one that could grant wishes and turn things around. However, this artifact became tainted, and turned into something evil. The group was said to have destroyed it, and they eventually died out. Their blood was carried on in only a handful of offspring. They became the ancestors of Hyrule's own protective faction, the _Deartháireacha faoi airm…"

The memory blurred as reality took shape. From a frantic glance around, I gathered that our group was in a small, circular, sandstone hut. All the windows were thoroughly covered, disabling any view of the outside world. Impa took a protective stance in front of Zelda, as did Link. I spun around to face Kein.

"You are Sheikah!" I exclaimed as my eyes landed on Kein again. His ability to detect my telepathic conversation with Impa made sense now.

He arched a brow. "So we are not entirely forgotten. How do you know this, Sheikah?"

"The History of the Sheikah, taught to every child in our people's clan. Your faction's name…the Deartháireacha faoi airm…you are charged with a specific sort of protection, are you not?"

Kein looked mildly impressed. "No one we have come into contact with has yet to remember us, or what we are here to do."

"That's because Impa and I are the only Sheikah left. Or so we believed."

"Yes, few remain outside of my men, and you two of course," he replied, running a hand through his hair. "Do you know what we protect?"

"You protect the balance of power."

"Indeed. Very good, little Sheikah." My pride stung at the 'little' comment. But of course, he only spoke the truth, which stung even more.

"Since the creation of this world and others, my people have been tasked with protecting the people from tyrants, from people who seek to gain more power than they ought."

My ears caught his use of the word 'tyrant.' Zelda's use of the same word must have been what put him at ease earlier. I eyed Kein with distrust. If his people were truly what he said they were, then where were they when Ganondorf started his reign of terror?

"How long have you and your men been protecting Hyrule?" I asked.

"I have been the leader of this group for seven years. I took over once I became of age."

Zelda cocked her head to the side. "If you are a Sheikah, why do you possess purple eyes?"

Kein studied her, deliberating on whether to answer or not. "I am only half Sheikah. My father, a full-blooded Sheikah, married a Hylian woman."

Zelda's eyes widened marginally. "Larron was your father?" Kein nodded. Zelda opened her mouth, closed it, thought for a moment, then spoke. "I did not know that Larron had a son."

His eyes sparked. "My father gave up his pursuit of revenge after meeting Caeda. Their love was strong and true; I am the result of that," he answered, the defense of his father clear in his voice.

Zelda held up a placating hand. "I do not mean to imply any disrespect, or disbelief. I genuinely did not know." Kein nodded his head curtly in reply. Before he could speak, Zelda hurriedly asked another question. "Why is it that you are not among the books of Hyrulian history?"

Kein sighed and shrugged. "Most of Sheikah history is passed down by word-of-mouth. With so few Sheikah remaining, I imagine most of the records of our existence have been lost. Also, with my father's defection for all those years, he wasn't even fulfilling his duties, and many believed the Deartháireacha faoi airm died out." Zelda nodded her head slowly. Kein flipped his palm up. "Let us not waste any more time. I have matters of the utmost urgency to discuss with you."

"By all means then," Impa muttered.

Kein slanted his eyes at her before continuing. "The goddesses created more than one form of protection against tyrants. The legendary Hero of Time, the Sages, the Temple guardians…these are but a few examples of their efforts to keep Hyrule safe. I already said that my clan protects the balance of power. More specifically, my clan protects the Elemental Stones." He turned away and began to pace up and down the room. Link shifted closer to Zelda. Kein ignored this. "As the leader of the Deartháireacha faoi airm, I am the only one who knows specifically where the Elemental Stones are kept. It is a knowledge the goddesses have granted me, and me alone. My men aid in the protection, but do not know many of the explicit details. The fewer people who know, the smaller the chance of the information falling into the wrong hands."

Impa's eyes were narrowed as she followed Kein's progress across the floor. Her mind was a blank wall. I wished I could speak with her, but knew that Kein's presence made such a thing impossible. A glance at Link showed him to be intently gazing at Kein, his expression quizzical.

"Imagine my panic when I discovered first the Fire Stone gone, then the Water and Wind Stones gone as well. My men and I began an immediate and thorough search and investigation, the results of which unearthed many monsters and temples that had already been combed through, but no Stones.

"And then, two days ago, I dreamed of three figures, each bearing a Stone. Two young men and a young woman, all of whom had blond hair, and all of which had the Touch of Destiny. I could only assume that I dreamed of you three," he said, nodding to indicate Zelda, Link, and I. "So my men and I set off in the dead of the night and reached you today. When I saw you sitting there, Princess, I did not know if your intent for the stones was one of good or evil; however, I quickly realized that it was for the former. I apologize for yelling at you, and holding the sword to your throat." Zelda did not look impressed with his apology. Kein shifted his weight, almost awkwardly. "So, do you mind updating me on why you have the Stones, and what you plan on doing with them, if your intentions are indeed good?"

Silence reigned for a few moments, and then Link finally burst. "Hey now, wait just a minute! Are you kidding me? First you bust into our picnic and drug all of our dancers. Then, you hold everyone at sword point and threaten my Princess. And THEN, you warp us all away to only the goddesses know where, spout what may just be a huge load of bullshit, and then expect us to just spill all of our secrets to you? I don't think so!" Link shouted, his hand slashing the air in front of him for emphasis.

Kein's face took on a ruddy hue. "Listen here, Hylian. I am not the enemy…"

"Neither are we!" Link inserted.

"Link, calm down," Impa said in a tone that brooked no argument. She turned to face Kein and studied him. "Although this will not fully substantiate your claims, it will help. Tell me, Kein of the Deartháireacha faoi airm, what are the locations of all three stones?" Kein crossed his arms in front of his chest in annoyance. Impa smirked. "Start with the Fire Stone."

He huffed. "The Fire Stone is located behind the wall in the center alcove in the main foyer of the Fire Temple. It can only be accessed with the Fire Medallion, and rests on a stone plinth older than the hills. The Wind Stone is located on the floor of the well in the Forest Temple, beneath one of the cobblestones marked with a carving of the Kokiri Emerald. The Water Stone is located under Lord Jabu-Jabu's shrine. Before you can get there, though, a map has to be acquired from a chamber underneath the pool in Zora's Domain, which contains a system of numbers that corresponds with a series of rooms in the Water Temple, which must be activated in the correct order to retrieve a key from the final room in the Temple. A design on the key matches the same pattern on Lord Jabu-Jabu's platform. The key must be placed in the middle of the shrine and the Royal Lullaby has to be sung, which allows one to then access the underground chamber that contains the Water Stone."

We all stared at him in silence for a few seconds after his long-winded answer to Impa's challenging question.

His smirk contained both smugness and a trace of annoyance. "Satisfied?"

"No," Link replied, shaking his head petulantly.

Throwing his hands in the air, Kein shook his head. "What can I do to prove myself to you?"

"Probably nothing," Impa said, her tone blunt. "I mean, how can you expect us to trust anything you say after that little stunt you pulled by the river? Hell, we might go back and find all of our nobles, guards, and King dead!"

Kein shook his head angrily. "No! My men would never do something like that. We aren't here to arbitrarily seek bloodshed. We kill only when necessary."

Zelda's voice interrupted the bickering. "Impa, I think we should trust him."

"I think you're ri—wait, what? Zelda, I must beg you to examine the situation more carefully. We don't know if he is who he says he is. This could be a trap."

Zelda cut Impa off with a wave of her hand. "Impa, you know I possess an uncanny perception when it comes to people and their intentions."

Impa did not look convinced in the least. She looked at me. "Sheik, what do you think?"

I shifted my gaze back to Kein. "His knowledge of the Stones' locations is thorough and accurate. However, I find some…discrepancies in some of his other claims."

"Such as?" Kein demanded.

Pointedly ignoring the other three people in the room who may very well have disapproved of my next action, I took a breath and plunged forward. "Kein, there was a time not long ago that existed but did not. In that time, a tyrant took control of the land and poisoned it with his evil. Where was your faction then? No one came to our aid, not for seven years, not until the Hero of Time awakened. If you are who you say you are, where were you then?"

Kein's expression was one of extreme puzzlement. "Never happened but did? That doesn't make any sense."

"It would if you had lived it," I replied hastily, still ignoring Impa's death glare and Zelda's disapproving look. Even Link looked skeptical. Sharing information about that time was expressly forbidden. I was breaking a serious rule.

His forehead crinkled, he responded after a moment of thought. "Did the tyrant go after the Elemental Stones?"

"No. No, he did not have the need to do so."

"Well, I can only speculate here, but I would imagine that with the Stones safe, we must have not felt the need to interfere. I suppose I would have been much younger then, more prone to making mistakes and overlooking things. Or maybe this tyrant killed our clan."

I nodded. His explanation, theory though it was, had a ring of truth to it. I could not help but think he was telling the truth.

Shrugging, I turned to Link. "Do I even want to know what you think?" I teased lightly.

Link growled, hardly amused. "I don't really see how he could be lying about being a protector of the Stones. I mean, those locations were top secret, and he knew a ton of details that no one else does."

"Selia knew many of the details too, though," Impa pointed out quietly.

A shudder ran down my spine at her name. Link's eyebrows furrowed in concern, but I shook my head at the attention and faced Kein.

Suddenly, a thought struck me. "Kein, you said that two days ago you had that dream. Did you know the figures in your dream were the three of us?" I asked, gesturing to Zelda, Link, and I.

"No," he answered, his tone clearly expressing his curiosity at my line of questioning. "I followed the music, and it led me to the river, and to all of you."

"Music, you say?" Impa queried.

"Well, yes," Kein responded. "When all three Stones come together, there is always the chance of danger, the chance that they may fall into the wrong hands. The Stones call out to the one slated for their protection, so that they may come and oversee the situation, to intervene if necessary."

Link, Impa, Zelda, and I all exchanged glances.

We turned our gazes back on Kein. "So, what else do you know about these stones?"

Kein began pacing again, back in what I classified as his personal lecture mode: hands behind his back, head at a constant angle, pacing back and forth. "The goddesses created the Stones as a place to house their respective elements after they finished shaping the land of Hyrule. They hid them away in safe places, where the Stones could continue to do their jobs, and yet remain untainted. The Stones totally control the Elements they represent. Hence, the goddesses hid them well. With the Fire Stone, Din created a place that would be physically demanding—almost impossible—to reach. And even if one did reach the resting place of the Stone, they would have to have in their possession a gift from the goddess herself, or otherwise the Sage that represents her, to enter the Stone's chamber.

"Farore hid her Stone in the last place anyone would look: inside a Temple that no one ever visited, in a well covered in water that only receded when someone was brave and smart enough to traipse through the temple, under a cobblestone so inconspicuous and random no one would think to look underneath it.

"Nayru went a little over the top, perhaps, but making one Stone more difficult to find would make it even harder for one person to gain all three Elements. No one would be able to access the actual chamber firstly without knowing the Royal Lullaby, and secondly without a key. The key, of course, would have to be acquired by successfully navigating the maze Nayru had designed in her temple, and activating the tiles in the appropriate order, and of course THAT couldn't be accomplished without the map, which couldn't be found unless you knew about the room under the pool in Zora's Domain, which even to get into requires extensive research and the knowledge of the hand signs required. SO, obviously, the Stones are important.

"The Stones have other powers, too. They possess some of the strongest magic, not to mention the most ancient magic, around. With all three in your possession, one could accomplish almost anything, anything at all. No one really knows, however, what they are truly capable of, because no one, I repeat _no one_, in the entire history of Hyrule, has ever gathered all three of them together, in one place. People have tried. Oh, have they tried. But they all failed. Sure, here and there an adventurer might have gathered one, and there was this one guy who found _two_, but never all three. Almost a thousand years ago, when that guy did find two, he took them back to his people, a forest tribe. A spy in their city reported back to his stronghold in the desert, and a raid was staged. The desert force managed to get one of the Stones. What followed could only be described as horrific. Most of Hyrule was destroyed in their Elemental War, one using Fire, the other using Wind. The protector of the stones, one of my ancestors, intervened and retrieved both stones, but it was already too late. The damage was done."

Kein paused in his lengthy narrative to take a deep breath. He seemed to know what he was talking about…

"Kein," Zelda interrupted his musings.

"Hmm?" he answered.

"Could we perhaps continue this conversation later, perhaps at my castle? I need to return to my people. We've been gone for a long time already. It's not that I think your men did anything," she inserted hastily as the expression darkened on Kein's face. "It's just that they need assurance, and protection from outside evil." She hesitated for a moment, her face deadly serious. "I think I believe you, Kein. I want to hear more, but for now, I believe you."

Kein regarded her steadily. He nodded his head. "Alright Princess, I shall return you to your people. I will arrive at your castle tonight at midnight. Be prepared to receive me."

Before another word was spoken, Kein did that flip-thing with his palm again and the world, for the second time that day, dissolved around me.

LPOV

A collective sigh of relief greeted our return to the clearing. The nobles sat around, obviously still tense and nervous, but also showing signs of boredom. Kein's men hadn't relaxed in the slightest: many still had their weapons drawn, and the ones who didn't had them within easy reach. The day was quickly fading into night.

"Princess!" Valek exclaimed, jumping to his feet. The guard next to him hissed, but Valek ignored him and strode forward. "Are you alright?" he asked, his face showing genuine concern. His eyes roved over the rest of us, noting that we weren't injured. He nodded in satisfaction. "Everyone is fine here," he waved a hand at the seated nobility. "In fact, your father dozed off for a bit."

Goddesses! The man was impossible. Surrounded by armed men who could very well be the enemy, and he somehow managed to fall asleep. Unbelievable.

Zelda smiled softly at her father, who was indeed still sleeping. Kein cleared his throat and all attention immediately landed back on him.

"Princess," was all he said as he inclined his head. Zelda nodded in response. With a last curt nod, Kein signaled to his men, all the while keeping his eyes locked on Zelda's. They backed away from the nobles and literally melted into the cherry trees, their figures disappearing. I blinked, and Kein was gone.

* * *

"What a waste of a picnic!" the King exclaimed over dinner a few hours later. "I mean, the dancing was superb, but we didn't get to the games, or the music, or the sparring. And any chance of alliance-making and socializing was shot down as soon as that Ken-guy arrived."

"Kein," Zelda corrected absently, her eyes intent on a book she was reading.

"Zelda, what on earth are you reading? You are ignoring our guests!"

Zelda, with an annoyed sigh, looked pointedly around the room. "Father, the only people in here is you, me, Impa, Sheik, Link, and Valek. No offense, but none of the above are listed as 'guests' in my book. Besides, they don't mind."

I hid a smirk behind my napkin at Zelda's exasperated dealings with the King. I caught Sheik's eye and winked. He smiled, then seemed to remember something. Looking around, his expression became confused.

"Link, where is Navi?"

Looking around, I suddenly noticed my lack of a fairy companion. "Come to think of it, I don't know. She might have gone back to the forest to comfort the Kokiri—oh," I trailed off, looking awkwardly at Sheik. He still didn't know about Mido.

"Link, what happened?"

Impa jumped in and answered for me. "When Link arrived in the Kokiri Forest, evil had been one step ahead of him. A phantom of the perpetrator in Kakariko attacked the children. Saria was trying to create a protective barrier around them when the phantom turned his attacks on her. Mido took the blow meant for her, and died as a result of it."

Sheik's expression was horrified. "Were they not in the forest, surrounded by fairies? Could not something have been done?"

"Sheik, you should know better than most that not every injury can be healed with a fairy, not every death reversed," Impa reprimanded gently. "Mido died a hero, protecting the Sage of the Forest, and the woman he loved. He would have wanted it that way."

Sheik shook his head slowly, his eyes filled with a soul-deep sadness.

After a few moments, the conversation resumed, with Impa filling in the King and Valek on what Kein had spoken about with us. I noticed she left out a few rather important details. Like how he was the Stone's protector, and how he was coming back tonight. She did tell them, however, that he was the son of the infamous Larron.

"Goddesses above!" the King cried. "That Larron fought tooth and nail to defend his people. Gave my father hell, as someone rightly should have. Those last couple of raids he did were a little unnecessary though…But I didn't know that he had a son!"

"Neither did we," I said, inserting myself into the conversation. "The rumors went that he _did _fall in love with a Hylian. It makes sense that he'd have a kid."

The King murmured his agreement as he took another bite of the roasted duck on his plate.

The rest of dinner passed quietly. I didn't try to fill the silence again.

SPOV

My thoughts were decidedly dark as Link and I walked into our rooms after dinner. Zelda had given us an hour to freshen up before we had to convene in her study to discuss the day's happenings, as well as to await the arrival of Kein.

Link shut the door quietly and leaned against the doorjamb. The lit fireplace provided the only source of light in the room. I walked over to it and stood by the hearth, my thoughts lost.

Link's bare feet padded gently across the floor as he came to stand behind me. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he settled his head on top of mine. Finally, after a few more minutes of silence, I gave a weary sigh.

"This is so unfair," I whispered to the flames.

"It never is fair," he said in response. His hands traced patterns lightly over my stomach, distracting me quite suddenly. His head slipped down to the crook of my neck as he slid a hand under my shirt, the other coming up to pull aside my collar. I shuddered as his lips ghosted over my neck, while his cool hand contrasted sharply with my radiating body. He let his nose skim ever so lightly over my skin, raising goose bumps along the ridge of my back and arms, while his hand continued to sketch a pattern known only to him along my abdomen. I let out a shuddering breath as he traced the shell of my ear with his nose. I could feel his lips form a smirk as he continued his assault, my breathing labored as I struggled not to move under his administrations.

My whole body shuddered when he let his tongue slide just so along my earlobe. I pressed my back against his chest and raised a hand to the back of his head, grasping the hair there in my fist. Link removed his hand from beneath my shirt and wrapped it firmly around my waist, pulling me even tighter against his body, pressing me firmly against the bulge in his pants. I arched my back, increasing the pressure on Link's lower body, and shifted my hand to the back of his neck, guiding his lips to mine. Link's throaty groan had me smirking in turn as I moved ever so slightly against him. He pressed harder and I drew back.

Link's full lips, red from the kissing, turned down into a pout as he regarded me through hooded eyes. "You're being a tease," he whispered sensually, his hand moving down to the front of my pants.

I sucked in a breath. "Who's the tease here?" I gasped out as his hand tightened.

"How much time do we have?" Link rumbled, his head lowering to my neck again.

Struggling to focus (the hand down my pants and the lips on my neck were making it very difficult), I sought out the clock on the mantle above the fireplace.

"Shit!" I exclaimed on a groan as Link's hand moved devilishly over my erection. "We need to go."

"Ah, fuck," Link whined, looking at the clock as well. He withdrew his hand, only to place it on my waist and turn me around, so I faced him. "We'll continue this later," he said seriously, his eyes intent on mine. My stomach flipped with anticipation as I studied the desirous gleam in his dusky eyes. He lowered his head suddenly, pressing his lips hard against mine. He raised his head again, looking again at the clock. "We have just enough time to change, I think."

Dropping his hands, I stepped from his embrace. Link caught the mischievous look in my eye and winked, then turned to the bathroom, where I knew his clothes would be. Allowing myself one last glance at his breathtaking shoulders and the other finer aspects of his backside, I turned to the dressing room to seek out my own apparel.

Author Note: Deartháireacha faoi airm apparently does mean 'Brothers of the Blood' in Gaelic, but like always, it's from the internet, so you can never be sure.

Did I shamelessly fashion Kein's appearance after Altair from Assassin's Creed? Why yes, yes I did. If you want to know what Kein looks like, look up Altair. Down to the weaponry, that's what Kein looks like in my head. Of course, the hair and eye color are my own additions.

Lots of plot development there, folks. Next chapter, Kein pays the castle a visit. Also, a seemingly insignificant event shall occur next chapter. Is it actually insignificant? Of course not! You'll have to be on the lookout for it. Till next time!


	22. Stolen Goods

Chapter 22 Stolen Goods

Thank you to all of my reviewers:  
**Alys Lynn,  
neenabluegirl,  
NinjaSheik,  
Hunter of Darkness,  
mama-Ichigo,  
Okamihanyou-Lin,  
Kiri-chan220,  
Illyric,  
merlyn1382,  
O-W-W-S's-Follower,  
Master Sapphire 69,  
Mai the cool,**  
and** ohhsnap**!

**Author Note**: There is tons of confusing plot development, so pay close attention! Enjoy!

SPOV

Link and I entered Zelda's study just as her ornamental clock began to strike the eleventh hour. Impa stood by the fire, hands behind her back, while Zelda sat at her desk, engrossed in a different book than what she had been reading at dinner.

"Right on time," Impa said, turning to face us. Zelda looked up as well, placing a ribbon between the pages and shutting the book.

"Goddesses, Zelda, that book's huge!" Link exclaimed, striding into the room.

Zelda rolled her eyes. "It's a tome, Link. One I think you should read. _A History of Hyrule_?"

"Not that one again," Link groaned.

"It's actually quite interesting," I said with a smirk, advancing into the chamber. "Though the chapter on Hyrule's agricultural practices is a little dry. You should read more," I added.

Crossing his arms, Link's expression turned petulant. "I'll have you know that I read a great deal. You've seen my collection of books, Sheik." He plopped onto the divan and looked to me for agreement.

"Your collection is good enough," I allowed, "but it seems a little strange that the Hero of Time, the Savior of Hyrule, hasn't read its most basic history."

"I've _lived _its history," Link said, waving an arm about.

"Not the same," Impa interjected. She glanced askance at Zelda as she walked over to the sofa and sat opposite Link. I took the seat next to Impa.

"How is my house, by the by? I feel like I haven't been there in ages."

"Your house has not been disturbed anymore. Whatever they were looking for, they found out it was not there, and moved on to other places," Impa supplied. "And, I myself put protective barriers around the place. If there is an intruder, an alarm will alert us to the invasion."

Satisfied with the answer, Link returned to the matter at hand. "Why all the reading anyway?" he asked, tilting his head back to stare at Zelda.

"After our talk with Kein today, I feel so incompetent. There's so much that I still don't know about Hyrule and its people." She placed a hand on the book in front of her. "So, I figured I should read as much as I could, in case I missed anything. I don't like being ill-informed, especially when it comes to matters dealing with my own kingdom."

Link angled his head. "Fair enough. So, shall we begin our discussion?" Zelda nodded and stood, perching on the sofa next to Link. She had changed into a dusky rose-colored gown, with close-fitting long sleeves and embroidered roses along the bottom hem. She scrubbed a hand across her eyes.

"Tired, Princess?" I asked.

Zelda lowered her hand. Her lips tilted up the smallest amount as she replied, "It's been a long day."

"We've had longer," Link pointed out.

Impa rolled her eyes. "Listen, we only have a short time before Kein arrives. We need to discuss a few pertinent matters."

"Discuss away," Link said, waving his free arm about. He threw his other across his eyes as he leaned back against the cushions.

Impa glared at him a moment before continuing. "I spoke briefly with the Sages once we returned home. They were all equally unaware that such a group of people still existed."

The sense of not knowing things bothered me. "Impa, how is it that we've roamed this land for years and have never known that there was a huge tribe of Sheikah right under our noses?"

Impa shook her head. "I have my theories. Although I do not trust any of them as of yet, I must say learning that our tribe has not completely died out gives me a small measure of comfort. And a sense of hope."

My thoughtful silence voiced my agreement. Zelda picked up the conversation. "I feel inclined to trust these people."

Link's arm dropped from his face and he sat forward. "Listen, Zelda, I know you have great instincts and all that, but come on. We don't know these people at all."

"But they are Sheikah! They were born to be protectors; it is written in their destinies!" she countered.

"Ah, but did they have red eyes? Kein had purple eyes, if you will recall, and the rest of them had the upper part of their faces covered in shadow. Now, what Sheikah have you ever met covers their upper face instead of their lower?"

Zelda opened her mouth to contest that, then paused. "Well…I suppose you have a point."

"Damn right I do," Link practically growled, sitting back again.

"Link, calm down," Impa ordered. She mulled over his argument. I had to admit that he had a point, and Impa realized that as well.

"I mean, how hard would it be for a group of highly skilled warrior spies to get information, and to pose as someone else? Kein claims to be the son of Larron. That is convenient, since there is no official record of a child," Link continued.

Impa raised a brow. "After the late King's treatment of the Sheikah, hardly any of them registered with the palace, let alone notified anyone once they had children. I suppose that could be how such a large group of Sheikah escaped our notice," she said, looking aside at me.

Zelda gave a thoughtful 'hmm.' "I imagine that the members of the Deartháireacha faoi airm are the offspring of Larron's group of bandits. But how many of them do you think are pure Sheikah?"

"Without getting a solid look at their faces, there is basically no way to tell," I explained. "Marrying a non-Sheikah is heavily frowned upon in Sheikah society. We may be born to a life of servitude, but we still have our pride. We prefer to keep our race a race of _keheilans_."

Impa chimed in. "Any Sheikah who does marry outside of our people is asked to leave the group. As a warrior race, we cannot allow the ideals of others to corrupt our way of life."

"Ah, but with Kein being an anomaly to begin with, I'm sure he wouldn't throw out members of his clan, even if they were only half Sheikah," Link said.

"Or even if they weren't Sheikah at all," Zelda mused.

"A _keheilan_ Sheikah has red eyes. Unadulterated, untainted _red_ eyes. There is no if's or but's when it comes to a true Sheikah's eyes. I've only seen a few half-Sheikah in my life, and they all had some type of purple colored eyes. Of course, all the ones I met were leading domestic, civil lives in one city or another." Impa shrugged. "Kein is the first of the half-bloods that I've met who have stuck with, for the most part, the Sheikah codes. An anomaly, indeed."

"Do you think the goddesses really entrusted this task to him? Everyone they've chosen so far has been of pure blood," Link interjected.

Impa shook her head in disagreement. "The goddesses have never been known to be snobbish. They do not base their assessments on bloodlines; rather, they base them on a person's worth as a human being."

Link snorted. "Worth? Ganondorf wasn't worth much."

"But you are," Zelda contradicted. "Evil is offset by good. That's just the way the world is." Link rolled his eyes.

"Back to the issue at hand, if you please," Impa reprimanded.

"He knows a lot," I offered. "More than any of us. He could prove to be valuable, if he is indeed trustworthy. And, he knew things that no one else knew except us."

"Like the song the Stones created when they came together," Link supplied.

"Exactly!" I smiled at Link. He winked in return.

"Keep in mind, we've trusted people and been betrayed before. I assume you can all recall a certain Gerudo by the name of Ganondorf?"

"Way to be a Debbie-downer, Impa," Link said with a sigh.

We all sat in silence for a few minutes.

Zelda broke the quiet. "So, the question is, do we trust him or not?"

"Shall we put it to a vote?" I suggested.

"We have an even number of people," Link pointed out. I shot him a glare.

Impa rolled her eyes. "I do not trust him. However, we can't ignore him. Maybe we could limit what we told him? Keep an extra close eye on him?"

"I suppose that could work…" Link said, his voice reluctant.

"I still think we should trust him," Zelda added.

Link threw up his hands. "Alright then. For the time being, we shall put Kein on a trial run, to test his level of trust."

"Now, what _are_ we going to tell him?"

Everyone groaned.

LPOV

"Why are we on the roof again? It's freezing!" I exclaimed, my arms wrapped tight around my torso. A cold wind blasted in from the west, as if to reinforce my point.

Sheik and Impa didn't answer. Zelda, wrapped in a furry cloak-thing, only rolled her eyes. "I told you to get a jacket," she answered serenely.

I muttered under my breath and turned so that the wind hit my back. My current direction gave me a lovely unobstructed view of the wall.

The last half-hour of our discussion had been spent deciding what we were and were not going to tell Kein. I was still a little bewildered on that part.

"He's late," Impa murmured.

"By thirty seconds," Sheik added with a smirk.

I felt a shift in the air and turned to the left. Leaning ever so casually against the wall, hood pushed back, was Kein.

"Good evening," he said with a smile. The bright moonlight made his eyes appear to be even more eerie than usual.

"Good evening, Kein," Zelda said, inclining her head.

Impa and Sheik had fallen naturally into a defensive position around Zelda.

Kein observed their shift in arrangement without comment. "Whether or not you believe me, I want you all to know that I will not betray you. I am here to help."

Impa raised her eyebrows at the man. "Kein, trust is to be earned. Being even part Sheikah, you should know that."

"You are right, of course, Sage Impa."

I snorted at the title. Impa threw me an annoyed glance. "Do you find the name amusing, _Hero of Time_?"

"Never," I replied, my lips tight with my suppressed smile.

Sheik shook his head slowly. "Perhaps we should start."

Impa nodded in agreement. "To make this discussion as simple as possible, I shall explain all that I know, and if you have any questions, Kein, then you can ask me when I am done." Kein dipped his head in acknowledgement, and Impa continued.

"At this moment, we have all three Stones in our custody. They are under powerful protective spells, and cannot be accessed by anyone except the Princess herself. Now, we began to collect these Stones in response to an alarming occurrence…This next part is hard to comprehend, but please, try to stay with me. One year ago, an Evil King who held the Triforce of Power and had usurped the King of Hyrule and spread evil and corruption throughout the land was destroyed by the hands of the Hero of Time."

Kein eyed me suspiciously, his eyebrows drawn together in an expression of confusion.

"You may well be baffled, young Kein, by these events, but it was so…in a different timeline. After the Dark Lord fell, the Princess returned the Hero to his own time, seven years previous, to live out his full childhood, in a normal manner. This 'normal life,' so to speak, began eight years ago, and the result of which stands right here," Impa said, gesturing to me.

I grinned a self-deprecating grin. "Normal life, my ass."

"No one said you had to run off to other worlds," Sheik pointed out logically. I rolled my eyes.

"Anyway," Impa continued with a withering glance, "the awakened Sages combined their magic and sealed the Evil Lord in a void. Some time ago, the Sages noticed a sudden weakening of the Seal. We began an immediate investigation, calling on both Link and Sheik to help. We came to know of the Stones once the Temples began to suffer, and we learned how extremely powerful they can be, and thus we began a hasty search to collect them. And at this point, all three are in our possession."

Kein, who had remained silent and still throughout Impa's explanation, finally responded. Unfolding his arms, he looked between the four of us. His eyes were serious, his expression now heavy. "There have been whispers through the ages of the true powers of the Elemental Stones. No one knows exactly of what they are capable, however, the possibilities are seemingly endless. Their powers, once combined, most likely go beyond just controlling the elements."

"So what are you saying?" I asked.

He hesitated. "It seems that the one who seeks the Stones is seeking them to use to break the seal on this Evil King."

Impa sighed wearily. "I figured as much."

Kein looked at Impa. "You have the advantage of having all three Stones in your possession; but, I warn you, do not become lax. I do not know this Evil Lord of which you speak, but from what you're telling me, he seems like bad news. Having him free again is something I think we should try to avoid."

Zelda shook her head. "Evil never rests, does it?"

"No, it does not," Impa sighed. "Link, Sheik. Although we have the Stones, the Seal continues to weaken. We must not rest until the perpetrator is caught."

I grit my teeth in frustration. How many times had I heard that same phrase? "What leads do we have? Everything has run dry. We have the Stones; there's been no enemy activity, unless you count this twit here ruining the picnic." Kein growled, but I ignored him. "Selia's dead, no thanks to myself, and all the enemies that attacked the Market have been disposed of as well. We can't question _anyone_."

"Might I suggest you wait?" Kein said.

"Wait, and do what?" I shot back. "Ganondorf's seal is weakening at this very moment! Whoever is trying to free him won't even need the Stones to break the Seal at this rate! It'll just collapse!"

Sheik, who had moved to stand by my side during some point in my tirade, laid a comforting hand on my arm. My first impulse was to shrug him off; instead, I remained motionless under his touch.

"You've worked blindly before. Who's to say you can't do it again?" he offered.

I considered his words. I couldn't let all this get to me. At times in the past, leads had run dry, leaving me with nowhere to turn. At those times, though, I always eventually had someone who could point me in the right direction…

"Navi," I said her name on an exhale. She had always been there before, to offer words of advice, to help me figure out where to go next.

"Where is Navi?" Zelda asked, glancing around, as if she might have missed the fairy sitting on my shoulder.

"_What _is a Navi?" Kein returned.

"My fairy companion," I replied absently. When had I last seen her?

"Don't only Kokiri children have fairy companions?" Kein continued.

"Link always did get preferential treatment," Zelda said as way of explanation. I barely noticed her briefly exchange a glance with Impa.

"Before the picnic," Sheik said quietly.

I turned to face him. "She was with us through the fitting, right?"

"Yeah, and then she left after dinner."

I looked around, mimicking Zelda's earlier action, as if I, too, might have missed her hovering around.

Focusing on an image of her in my mind, I spoke her name. "Navi?"

Nothing happened.

Trying again, my attempts to summon her garnered the same results.

"Could she be with the Kokiri still?" Impa suggested.

"Perhaps." Pulling out my ocarina, I contacted Saria.

"_Yes, Link?_" Saria's voice echoed in my mind.

"_Have you seen Navi either yesterday or today_?" I sent across my thoughts.

"_No, I have not. What is wrong_?"

"_She's missing_," I replied.

Saria hesitated for several moments before answering. "_This might be bad_."

"_What? What might be bad_?" This conversation appeared to be heading in an even worse direction.

"_Several of the Kokiri's fairies have gone missing. I found one dead this morning, her wings removed. I haven't shared this with anyone yet_."

Keeping the rising panic at bay, I voiced the obvious. "_Do you think the fairies' disappearance has to do with all this Ganondorf business_?"

"_I do. Hold tight, Link. Let Zelda know I'm on my way to the castle, and tell them what I have shared with you. We'll find Navi._"

Breaking the connection with Saria, I turned back to the group.

"Well?" Zelda asked.

"She hasn't seen her at all." I said. Worry gnawed at me. Where could she be?

Trying to stay focused, I related what Saria had shared.

"There are so many puzzle pieces," Impa murmured. "This could fit in anywhere amongst everything else, or perhaps this is a new tactic."

Kein glanced around the group. "I can help you look for her," he offered.

Suddenly, the tower to our right exploded, cutting off any replies. Stone and pieces of the roof shot like bullets into the air, propelled by a geyser of flame.

"Watch out!" Impa shouted, throwing her body of top of the Princess's. As the chunks of stone pelted back toward the earth, I drew my shield and grabbed Sheik around the waist, pushing him beneath me. Bracing myself with one hand, I held the shield over my head and Sheik's. The stones crashed down all around us, banging off the shield. A sizable hunk of what appeared to be flooring material collided with my exposed right leg. The breath whooshed out of me as I felt the impact site on my tibia turn to dust.

"Link!" Sheik shouted, feeling the jolt through my body. His hands grasped my shoulders and held firmly as my body tried to slump forward. In another few moments, the onslaught of stone shrapnel ceased.

"Link!" Sheik yelled again, pulling himself out from underneath me, taking care not to jar my leg.

Excruciating pain radiated in waves from my lower leg, causing blackness to crowd in at the corners of my vision. My vision blurred, and my sense of hearing dimmed, causing Sheik's words to become muted, as if they were coming from several rooms away.

With a jolt, I realized I was on the verge of passing out. _You will not pass out like some gir!_ I mentally reprimanded myself. I concentrated on Sheik's voice, and focused my sight on a pile of burning debris over his shoulder. Gradually, the world cleared.

"Hold on, Link," Sheik soothed, relief evident in his features that I had regained full consciousness. "Impa is getting a Red Potion."

"S'not that bad," I mumbled, the pain slurring my words. "S'only a flesh wound."

Sheik's strained features relaxed into a grin. He ran a hand down my face. "Thank you for protecting me," he whispered.

"Gotcher hack," I said. That hadn't come out right. I tried again, taking more care to articulate. "I have your back." There, that was better.

"And I yours."

"Move aside, Sheik," Impa ordered, entering my line of sight. She knelt by my side and lifted a bottle to my lips.

"Thanks," I croaked. I felt the potion sluice through me, leaving in its path warmth and a pleasant numbness. My valiant effort to hide my grimace failed spectacularly as the potion knit my crushed bone. I shuddered a final time as the last fragment fit into place.

"Better?" Impa questioned.

"Much."

She nodded sharply. "Good, because we have a big problem."

Sitting up further, I cast a glance around the area, taking in the rubble and decimated tower. It was then I noticed one less in our party.

"Where the fuck is Kein?" I demanded.

"Gone." Zelda's reply came through gritted teeth.

"Bastard!" I yelled. "He played us!"

"Now is not the time for that," Zelda spat. "We need to check on the Stones."

The four of us ran all the way back to Zelda's chamber. Zelda burst into the room, but slammed to a halt on the threshold, gazing in horror at the sight before us.

SPOV

Zelda's chamber had been quite literally ripped to shreds. All the furniture had been blasted to smithereens; the walls were covered in scorch marks; the curtain hangings and carpet were in tatters. Worst of all, the fireplace had been obliterated, not a single stone left stacked on another. A gaping, plinth sized hole in the hearth seemed to mock us.

"No," Zelda whispered, her tone full of anguish. She rushed forward and immediately began to mutter spells under her breath. Her hands glowed bright purple as she ran them over the hole in the hearth. After a minute, Zelda sat back on her heels, her expression empty.

"Well," Link announced, "we're fucked."

Impa didn't even respond to Link's comment. Her gaze was still fixed on the Princess. "Zelda…" she trailed off. Shaking her head, she began again. "Princess, what do we do now?"

"I have no idea," Zelda retorted. "What the hell can we do?"

"The guards are coming, and I daresay, the King," Impa said. "We need to figure something out, and we need to figure it out now."

"That bastard!" Zelda cried, her voice breaking on the end. "I can't believe I wanted to trust him!"

"Stop it, Zelda!" Link ordered, striding forward and pulling her to her feet. "This is NOT the time for that, as you said before. Hope isn't lost yet."

"No?" she responded sarcastically.

"No," I rejoined, walking forward till I was next to Link. "Hope is never lost. Get it together, Princess. Kein couldn't have gone far with the Stones. And with all three of them being together…perhaps Impa and I can trace them."

"We need to get out of this room," Impa broke in. "Now is not the moment to reveal the Stone's disappearance. Come," Impa ushered us out of the room, then magically sealed it behind us.

She led us down the stairs, toward the throne room. As we drew closer and closer, the amount of noise increased tenfold. The door burst open just as we reached it.

"Princess!" Valek basically shouted in our faces. "Are you okay?"

Zelda smiled feebly up at him. "Yes, we're fine. Do you know what happened?"

"Zelda!" the King called, interrupting Valek. We looked past Valek and into the throne room. The King stood from his throne on the dais and strode toward us.

"Your Majesty, was anyone injured?" Impa asked.

The King nodded. "A few of the soldiers received minor wounds, but nothing too serious. The guards in the treasury were knocked out, but have been revived."

"Treasury?" I repeated. "Was there another break-in?"

Valek stepped in to explain. "Yes. We think that the explosions were used as a distraction. The tower that was destroyed is on the opposite side of the castle. Most attention was diverted to that wing. The intruders slipped in unnoticed."

"When was the last one? Break-in, I mean," Link said.

Impa slanted her eyes at him. "Several weeks ago. Nothing was stolen; the intruders tripped an alarm and escaped before we could catch them."

"So, were they successful this time?" I asked.

The King and Valek exchanged glances. "Yes, although we don't know why they took what they did."

"What did they take?" Impa asked sharply.

"A knife. An ornamental fighting knife," the King replied.

"Close combat," Valek added.

Impa's face drained of color as something akin to terror fled across her features. Before I had a chance to say anything, Impa was on the move, stalking into the throne room.

"Talone!" she yelled.

The burly captain of the guard hastened to her side. "Yes, Impa?"

"The Treasury keeps pictorial records of its possessions, does it not?"

"Yes, it does."

"Bring them to me, now." Impa's voice was hard as steel and completely unyielding. Talone hastened to do her bidding.

Our little group hadn't moved from the doorway. Exchanging a confused look with Link, he and I moved into the throne room, closely followed by Zelda, Valek, and the King.

"Valek, where were you when you heard the explosion?" Zelda inquired, turning to face him.

"The King and I were visiting my mother in the guest wing when the explosions started," he replied. The King nodded in agreement.

"Did you happen to see anyone suspicious on your way down here?" she continued.

Valek shook his head. "If I had, Princess, I would have surely apprehended them."

Zelda darted a glance at her father, who had turned away, then focused again on Valek. She lowered her voice. "Valek, this knife wasn't the only thing taken tonight."

"What do you mean?" he asked, lowering his voice and bending down a bit.

"Someone," she drew a deep breath, "someone has stolen the Stones."

Shock and disbelief raced across his features. "What? How is that possible?" he asked urgently.

"We think it was that man from earlier, Kein," Link said with a sigh. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted him!"

Valek's eyes searched Zelda's face. "Did you meet with him, Princess?"

Zelda nodded, miserably. "We thought he might have some useful information, which he did. But then…"

Valek straightened and glanced around. "Look, Zelda, don't give up hope yet."

She smiled again, this one weaker than the last. "That's what they said," she replied, gesturing to Link and I.

"Did he say where he and his men made their home, or where he was going, or anything like that?"

Zelda shrugged, so I stepped in. "He and his men are completely off any type of Hylian records. As offspring of Larron and his bandits, this is only to be expected." Valek hummed in agreement and I continued. "As Sheikah, they most likely live in the desert. But, I live in the desert too, and in all my years there, I never once came across them. So, in short, they could be anywhere."

Valek's reply was forestalled by Talone's return. "Here it is, Impa," he called, waving it in the air.

Link and I walked swiftly to view the photo. Impa's face had, once again, drained of color.

"This is not good, boys," she said stiffly, handing over the picture.

We bent our heads to examine it.

Recognition came to me at once. How many times had I seen that same knife, strapped to the thigh of a certain Evil King? The handle was wrapped in dirty bandages. The hilt of the sword was blue and encrusted with dark, black-blue sapphires the size of bird's eggs, as was the sheath. The blade itself was a metallic black. Kneeling at the Evil King's feet, pretending to swear fealty, to do his bidding, it had always been strapped to his side…

"That's Ganondorf's," Link whispered, horror in his voice. "Why was it here? Why was it not destroyed?" he demanded, his voice rising.

"Shut your mouth, Link," Impa said, her voice cracking like a whip. "I don't understand either. Why would they steal this knife, whether it belonged to Ganondorf or not?"

Link visibly swallowed. "I don't know how widely known the art is, or how often it has been practiced here in Hyrule, but in Termina, people could leave parts of themselves behind; fragments, if you will."

Realization started to dawn on Impa's face, chased closely by a look of revulsion.

Link continued. "I think…I think that Ganondorf left part of himself in that blade. But I don't know how much, or what that might entail. For us, I mean."

Valek, too had gone a little pale around the mouth. "I'm not really sure who this man is, but I've read books about this practice before. You mentioned Termina, did you not, Link?"

"Yeah. It's outside of Hyrule."

Valek nodded his head absently. "The place has been mentioned in books. Earlier, the man Kein, what was his clan called again?"

"The Deartháireacha faoi airm," Zelda supplied.

"Impa, in the history of the Sheikah, weren't they the descendants of an older clan that lived in Darumina?"

"Yes, but how do you know that? And what does that have to do with this knife?"

"My education has been very, ah, extensive. Link, do you know the old name for Termina?"

"Darumina," Link answered slowly.

Questions apparently answered, Valek continued. "In Termina, the story goes that the descendants of Kein's clan possessed an artifact which was used for restorative purposes. It could regenerate life, repair what was broken, as it were. However, somewhere along the line, it fell into the wrong hands, and became corrupted by evil. The holders then used it to wield a great and terrible power. They used it to raise an army of undead soldiers, to change the forces of nature, and basically whatever else they wanted. The artifact had the ability to restore broken people, even those who had had their souls ripped from their bodies. The artifact was believed to be destroyed, but no evidence of that was ever recorded. And besides, something like that can never be truly destroyed. Either way, it became lost amongst the ages, buried in time. Until now, it would seem."

Terrible comprehension lighted in Link's eyes. "Majora's Mask."

LPOV

I had faced death many times. When fighting to stop Ganondorf, I faced it almost every second of the day. The idea had ceased to bother me some time ago. But for the first time in so many, many years, I was afraid.

Valek turned to me upon my whispered words. "A mask?"

"Yeah, I was…involved with it, some years ago."

"What happened to the mask?" Impa questioned.

"I thought…I thought the power had gone out of it. Last I saw of it, the Happy Mask Salesman had it. He was going to hide it."

Zelda snapped her fingers at the closest guard. "Get me the Happy Mask Salesman, now." With a hasty salute, the guard scurried out of the throne room.

"So what exactly does all this mean?" Sheik asked.

I exhaled forcefully. "It means we're dangerously close to being completely fucked."

"Elaborate, Link," Impa snapped.

"The person trying to break the Seal…I think they're going to do it with Majora's Mask. The knife…the knife forges a connection between this world and the Void that contains Ganondorf, and thereby weakens it. The knife contains a part of Ganondorf. I don't know how much, but it must be enough. They must be using Majora's Mask to restore Ganondorf, to make him whole again."

"And such a powerful ritual would break the Seal," Zelda finished.

I held up my hands. "We can't really be one hundred percent sure on any of this. It's all speculation."

Valek shook his head. "I don't think so. Too much of it makes sense."

"I agree with Valek," Impa said. She took a deep breath, and shot a glance at the ceiling. "It has to be Kein," she added.

"I believe that he is the descendant of these people," Valek said thoughtfully. "But I'm not sure why he went after the Stones."

"Probably for the insurance," I groused.

"What do you mean?" Valek asked with a raised brow.

Sheik answered for me. "Both Ganondorf and this Mask have been defeated before. Possessing the Elemental Stones would insure that they were completely unstoppable."

"Holy fuck," I said, the full extent of Sheik's words hitting me.

"But Kein mentioned the Stones could be used to break the Seal," Zelda interjected, ignoring my outburst.

I shook my head. "He wasn't sure. No one is sure of their true power. And besides, how are fire, water, and wind supposed to break a magical Seal? I think the Stones are for afterwards."

Sheik nodded. "I don't know what we can do to stop all this, but we need to do something. I suggest we start by making a plan."

"Zelda, I'm afraid we have more bad news," said a new voice from the doorway. Saria stood, in her customary green dress, her features touched with a grim expression.

"And I thought the night couldn't get any worse," I muttered to Sheik.

**Author Note**: First of all, _keheilan_ means pureblood in Arabic. It actually refers to the pureblooded-ness of Arabian horses, but it fit my purposes.

So, like I said, I think there was a good deal of new developments here. I was going to continue writing, but that would have meant a much longer chapter, and I've made you guys wait enough as it is. Besides, I have to end on a cliffhanger!

In the Majora's Mask manga, Termina was referred to as Darumina. I don't know if that was a typo, but I've taken advantage of it anyway. A lot of the stuff about Termina I've borrowed from the manga, and shaped it to fit my story. The next chapter shall have some more important plot development, some good, old-fashioned ass-kicking, and some Link and Sheik goodness (there was a terrible lack of that in this chapter!).

Let me know what you think, or if you have any questions. And constructive criticism is always appreciated. Till next time!


	23. Nowhere to Run

Chapter 23 Nowhere to Run

Thank you to all of my reviewers:  
**Illyric,  
Hunter of Darkness,  
Neenabluegirl,  
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Dolphinsong,  
and Chistarpax**!

WHAT?! A NEW CHAPTER?! I know, I know. It's been a ridiculously long time. I have no excuses, except that life tends to get in the way. But here it is, chapter 23. Thank you for those that sent me emails to make sure I was alive. They finally got me off my ass and back to writing this. :p

Also, this chapter contains **adult content**. The real deal, folks. You have been warned.

Enjoy!

SPOV

Saria stepped into the room. Dark circles ringed her eyes, and worry lines creased her small forehead. "Fairies are being stolen by the dozens," she said without preempt. "We didn't notice till now because at first it was only the fairies without children that were being taken. But once the Kokiri's fairies started disappearing, we knew something was up."

"For what purpose?" I asked.

"Their magic is being harvested," she answered. "Fairies store the majority of their magic in their wings. We've found the bodies of numerous fairies, their wings detached."

"Navi?" Link asked, his question a hesitant whisper. Dread and hope warred in his features. Trying to offer some sort of comfort, I placed my arm around his waist.

Saria held up a hand. "I haven't seen any sign of Navi."

Link's body relaxed marginally against mine. "What's being done?"

"At this moment, all of the remaining fairies and the Kokiri are safe within the Forest Temple. I would imagine that whoever is taking the fairies is certainly capable of taking the children as well."

"A good move," Impa nodded.

"Mistress Impa," a guard called, running back into the room.

"What is it?" Impa demanded, turning to face him.

"The Happy Mask Salesman is dead."

"Of course he is," I muttered.

Linked cursed and slammed a fist into the wall. "What did you find?" he asked, whirling around.

The guard shook his head slowly, clearly disturbed. "From the outside, his shop appeared perfectly normal. A notice had been posted outside his shop, saying that he would be gone on business. But then we went inside and…"

"Yes?" Impa prompted.

"The place was completely trashed," he explained, his face pale. "The Salesman…his body was gone, but his head was…er, on display."

My stomach twisted in disgust. Personally, I had always found the man to be a wee bit on the creepy side. But hearing of his fate…no one deserved that.

The guard continued. "Most of the masks had been thrown down, or crushed. But there was a safe, in the backroom. It had been blasted apart, and was completely empty."

"I shouldn't have given the bastard the mask!" Link shouted, slamming his fist into the wall again. "He promised he would destroy it!"

As Link raised his fist for another blow, Valek stepped in and held his arm steady. "Link, you couldn't have known."

For the space of several heartbeats, I really thought that Link was going to punch Valek in the face. Seething in rage, he stared hard into Valek's eyes. Gradually, his breathing slowed, and he relaxed his arm.

Valek nodded and released him. Stepping back, he addressed Impa. "We need to come up with a plan, and we need to start right now."

In mere minutes, a large table had been erected in the middle of the throne room. Zelda sat at the head, with Impa on her right, and Link and I took seats next to her. All of the Sages sat opposite us, with Valek in the middle, while the war generals sat further down the table, along with the King.

Impa briefed everyone on the situation. With all of the servants out of the room, she was free to speak about the Stones.

My head was spinning in circles. So much had unraveled in such a short amount of time. All of Link's hard work, and mine, gone. My hands curled into fists at the thought of Kein.

Link surreptitiously slid a hand over to rest on my thigh. I glanced down. He held his hand palm-up, his fingers uncurled. Giving a tiny sigh, I entwined my fingers with his.

"We've never faced evil on such a large scale before," Impa was saying. "This is the real deal everyone. Ganondorf, Kein, the Stones, and this mask. We will fight, and goddesses willing, we will win."

Once Impa finished passing on the vital information, Link looked to Zelda. She nodded her head, and he took the floor.

"I've dealt with Majora's Mask before, but never in this context. I don't know how or when the ritual will be performed to break Ganondorf free, and I don't even know how it will be performed, but we need to make some preemptive strikes."

Some of the war generals exchanged glances. I smirked. Among the vital information Impa had shared, she skated over the more important aspects of the Great War with Ganondorf. Link's raise in status from talented sword-boy to consummate Hero was still unsettling them a bit.

"What do you have in mind, Link?" Zelda inquired.

"I think..." he paused. "I think we need to go ahead and retrieve the Master Sword."

"Such an action will open the Void," I said.

"I know." Link breathed out. "Look, Ganondorf is going to be released one way or the other. The only weapons that are truly effective against him are Light Arrows and the Master Sword. We have the Arrows, but we need the Sword. I think it would be better if we released him on our terms, rather than on Kein's."

"Master Link," a guard said hesitantly, "there was something else in the Happy Mask Shop that I forgot to mention."

"By all means then," Link said, gesturing impatiently with his hand.

"Above the Salesman's head, there was a circle painted on the wall in blood."

Valek pierced him with his gaze. "Was the circle filled in?" he asked sharply.

The guard nodded. Valek turned to Link.

"The history of the ancient clan in Darumina is sketchy at best, but it seemed like their rituals were always performed at the New Moon. A circle on the wall like that could be indicative of the ritual being performed at the New Moon."

"Which is in five days," I said, catching a glimpse of the waning moon out the window.

"At least we have a timeframe now, and can plan accordingly," Zelda said, her tone encouraging. The traces of her earlier hopelessness and panic were far gone, her royal training coming to her aid. Her expression now showed only determination and control. With so many people around, I had slipped my cowl back into place. My eyes betrayed nothing. I felt Link's gaze and tilted my head questioningly to the side. His hand squeezed mine under the table.

Five days.

The reality of the situation crashed into me. Although Link and I had had plenty of brushes with death, the threat of our imminent demise had never been so great. I mean, sure, fighting gigantic worms and scorpions and phantoms was dangerous and all, but _this_? _This _was something much, much bigger.

My stomach twisted sickeningly as I realized that I might only have five more days with Link.

I crushed his much larger hand within mine. I sought his eyes again. The fear and desperation I felt was mirrored in his steady gaze. But then, he smiled and shrugged, seeming to say, _We've survived it before_.

Stupid Hylian.

My spirits slightly better, I rolled my eyes and focused again on Impa.

Impa had moved on to actual strategy. "We shall retrieve the Sword on the fifth day, at noon. But before that, we need to have our defensive lines ready."

I caught Impa's eye. "We need every possible ally we can get."

Impa picked up on my line of thinking. "Saria, I need you to gather all of the Forest creatures. Sprites, dryads, nymphs, satyrs, all of them. Darunia, contact the Fire Spirits, and get them here. See if you can also rouse up some of the Spitfires. Ruto," she said, turning to the aquatic princess, "I am sorry to ask for your people's help again so soon, but I need your Warriors."

"Anything, Impa," Ruto replied, every trace of lewd teasing gone from her expression.

Impa nodded. "I'll also need you to contact the Water Spirits, and see if you can talk the merfolk into guarding the rivers." She continued on, all business. "Nabooru, gather all of your Gerudo Warriors. Make your case to the Goddess of the Sand, and see if she will lend us some of her powers. Bring your Iron Knuckles, and any Desert Spirits.

"Talone," she addressed the Captain, "We need every able-bodied man to be ready to fight. Look in the registry for all of the mages and get them here as well. Any women who wish to fight may do so, and the rest will be charged with the cooking and healing. Gather all the healers, too. Let the people know that danger is imminent, and that their best chance of survival is with us. We have nowhere to run. We must face this head-on."

"We shall be setting up headquarters in Kakariko," Zelda spoke up. "The Market and Castle have proven in the past to be too penetrable. We need natural barriers, as well as artificial ones. The townsfolk will be safest inside the rocky walls of Kakariko. Once everyone is inside, we will burn the bridge that spans the river." Zelda took a deep breath, and looked at all of the faces in the room. "We don't have much time, and the enemy we face is the most dangerous we've ever known. I need all of you to have faith, however. Keep the morale high. We must be strong; for our strength lies only in our power to stand together."

Murmurs of agreement were heard as everyone stood to go about their respective tasks.

I watched silently as Zelda pulled Impa into a quiet corner of the room. Whatever she was saying upset Impa: Impa's face reddened in anger and her reply to Zelda was harsh. I turned my attention back to Link, who was speaking to the guard who had discovered the Happy Mask salesman, trying to glean further information.

After several minutes, Impa jerked her head at Link and I, motioning us to follow her. "You too, Valek," she snapped, already walking away.

The three of us exchanged glances and hastened to follow her. Of course, we would get special tasks.

LPOV

Impa strode down the hallway, her footfalls silent on the marble floors. Her shoulders were rigid and tension radiated off of her in waves. At every noise, her hand twitched toward the knife strapped across her lower back.

She was leading Valek, Sheik, and I back up toward Zelda's quarters. Next to me, Sheik's body spoke of strain as well. All the same, he was just as silent as Impa; only Valek's boots and mine made any noise in the corridor.

My pulse still thundered through my veins. Our chance at beating Ganondorf and Kein, equipped as they were with the Elemental Stones and Majora's Mask, were depressingly slim. Sure I had beaten Ganondorf and Majora's Mask one-on-one, but with their powers combined…well, I would cross that bridge when I came to it.

I had to admit that my greatest worry was for the small Sheikah walking next to me. I knew he was a skilled warrior, and blah, blah blah. But still…my chest ached at the thought of losing him. I could understand now why the Heroes of old tended to be single. Love, of any kind, put one at a disadvantage. It pained me to admit, but I would save Sheik over the majority of Hyrule any day. And that was dangerous.

Impa ushered us into Zelda's ruined study, then shut the door behind us, warding it against intruders. Turning to face us, she wasted no time in assigning us our duties.

"Valek, you've shown great skill in the area of organization and management in times of panic and stress. I need you to help oversee everything here. I am putting you in charge of directing the incoming troops. You'll work closely with Talone, the Captain of the Guard, Sileph, the Master Healer, and the other Sages. I need you to make sure that everything goes as smoothly as possible in the next five days."

Valek dipped his head in agreement, a trace amount of surprise lingering in his eyes. I had to admit, I was rather shocked, too, that she was entrusting such an important task to him.

"You have my word, Sage Impa. I will do everything I can."

"Alright then. I need you to get going. You have a massive amount of work in front of you. Seek out Talone, and start rounding people up."

Valek nodded once again, and then was gone.

Impa heaved a sigh as the door shut behind him. She walked over to the ruined mantle and leaned against it. I had noticed that she preferred that spot, especially when she was thinking.

Silence reigned for almost a full two minutes.

Sheik shifted, and Impa's head snapped up. "Boys…things aren't looking good. While I obviously am keeping up good faith," she sneered slightly, "I cannot help but expect the worst. And we must prepare for such a thing.

"Link, I need you to find Kein. We have to retrieve the Elemental Stones. We can defeat Ganondorf, and even this mask. But we have no chance against the Stones."

"How can you be so sure of our victory?" Sheik asked.

"We're prepared this time," I answered for her. "I'll have a fully powered Master Sword and Light Arrows. All of the Sages have been awakened and have had years to learn their powers. We have more people fighting this than just me this time."

"Exactly," Impa said. "But you see, we will only be able to do so much against the Stones."

I sighed and glanced around the room. "How do you propose I go about finding Kein?"

"I suggest that you, once again, start at his beginning. Find out what you can, and go from there. Perhaps then we can find a link between him and Ganondorf." Impa hesitated. "Link, finding Kein is vital. You have to realize, Kein's group, the deartháireacha faoi airm, is the descendants of the ancient Darumina clan. As such, he is probably privy to much more information than any of the rest of us could ever hope to be. Think about it…how is Sheikah history passed down?"

"Orators. They are the walking history books," I replied.

"Yes. So much information is lost because so few people know about it. But Kein, as a direct descendant, I'm sure he knows how to control this magic. And he is also, unfortunately, privy to information regarding the Stones."

"You believe him then, that his faction is there to protect the Stones?" Sheik questioned.

"I do. But as so often happens, it seems that the power has corrupted him."

"So let me get this straight," I stated. "You believe that Kein tried to steal the Stones, but was unsuccessful. So in the end, he waited till we gathered the Stones, then stole them from us."

"Yes."

"You also believe that he, being the descendent of the ancient clan from Darumina, has stolen Majora's Mask, knowing of its full capabilities, and plans on using it for the purpose of releasing Ganondorf."

"Yes."

"And all of this is happening in five days time?"

"Yes."

"You know, Link, I bet he was the one who broke into your house, probably to look for the mask."

I sighed again. "Alright, I'll do what I can."

Impa nodded sharply and turned to Sheik, her expression hard and relentless. "Sheik, you know the odds we face." Sheik affirmed that with a nod. "You know that we must do everything in our power, sacrifice everything that we have, to protect the Royal Family, to protect Hyrule." Sheik nodded again. Impa drew in a breath. "I need you to go to the Shadow World."

Sheik's face drained of color. I looked at him in alarm as he swayed slightly, reaching out a hand to steady him.

"Impa…you know what happens…"

"Sheik, I am well aware of the consequences of such a journey. But I must ask this of you. I would take your place in a heartbeat if I could, but you are the only one who can access the portal. I cannot leave, not only because of my duties as a Sage, but also because I am the Princess' sworn protector."

"But why?" he whispered, the visible part of his face white.

Impa's expression wavered, pain seeping through. "I need you to reach the Shadow Warriors, Sheik. You said it yourself: we need every possible ally." Impa placed a palm over the crest that adorned her tabard. "We are Sheikah. It is our Destiny."

Sheik squared his shoulders and nodded.

I glanced suspiciously between the two of them. "What does this mean?" I demanded.

Sheik turned to me, and my breath caught between my lips. His eyes were lifeless, his expression an impenetrable steel mask. As he responded to my question, his voice was flat and hard. "The Shadow Warriors do not live in this world. They live in the Shadow World, a land filled with nothing but shadow and twilight. They live apart so they will not be tainted by the ideals of this world. They carry the Sheikah trait, but their forms are not completely…human. But a fiercer warrior cannot be found."

I searched his face for some glimpse of the Sheikah whose hand I had been holding not ten minutes before. My alarm grew as I looked to Impa. "So what's the problem? Sheik can just go talk to them, and then bring them here."

Impa shook her head, her expression now bordering on miserable. "No, Link. It is not that simple. There must be payment."

Cold dread seeped through my chest. I looked down at Sheik. "What type of payment?" I whispered.

He wouldn't meet my eyes.

"WHAT TYPE OF PAYMENT?" I shouted into his face, grasping his forearms.

Sheik's eyes flashed as they met mine, but still he refused to speak.

I pushed him back and stormed over to Impa. "What type of fucking payment?" I snarled.

Impa regarded me without emotion, her own stone mask in place. "To repay the life debt, he has to become one of them."

Stunned, I stumbled backwards. "No," I whispered. "No," I repeated, somewhat louder. "No fucking way!" I yelled. I stalked over to Sheik and grasped his shoulders, shaking them. "You're not going! You are NOT going to become a Shadow Warrior. You will NOT leave me!" I shouted. I realized that tears were starting to flow freely down my face. "We'll fight without them," I said desperately. Sheik's eyes finally flickered, his pain increased by my own.

"Link, I must," he stated. "I am a Sheikah. It is my duty to protect this land, even at the expense of my own life."

"This is not the Old Days," I cried. "The Sheikah have been established a true citizens; you don't have to fulfill your Destiny for the sake of your fucking traditions!"

"Link, these are desperate times. In times of desperation, we have to do everything we can," Impa tried to explain.

"NO!" I roared. The tears were falling fast. "Sheik, please," I begged, my voice breaking.

"Impa?" Sheik asked beseechingly.

Looking at the floor, I didn't see the exchange between them. "You have until tomorrow," she replied, her voice back to its harsh, unyielding tone. With that, Impa left the room.

SPOV

My heart thudded erratically in my chest as the door shut behind Impa. I turned slowly back to face the weeping Hero.

Tentatively, I reached out a hand a placed it on his shoulder. My words died on my tongue as our gazes met. Tears continued to slip down his cheeks, silently this time, as his eyes roved over my face. I reached out a hand toward his face, and hesitantly, I slid it around to the back of his neck.

At the touch of my hand, Link's eyes shut, squeezing out more tears, and he stumbled forward into my embrace. His arms came around my waist, fisting the material on the back of my shirt, clutching me to him. I cradled his head in the crook of my neck, my other hand stroking soothingly along his back. His shoulders shook with silent sobs. Whispering words of comfort, I held him through his grief.

Suddenly, he lifted his head and, yanking down my cowl, crushed his lips against mine. He whimpered as our mouths moved together. I felt something wet slide down my cheek and realized that I was crying, too. Our tears mingled together as the kiss continued; frantic, sloppy, and desperate. Link's hands suddenly slowed and his kiss softened.

Pulling back slightly, Link smoothed the wrinkled material on my back, his hands stroking downward. They came to rest lightly on my hips, while his eyes remained locked on mine.

Leaving one hand on my hip, he raised the other to cradle my face. He exhaled, his breath stirring the hair that framed my face. "Sheik," he whispered, resting his forehead against mine. Tearstains streaked his face. He moved his hand from my hip and curled it around my waist, his movements achingly slow. I breathed out and closed my eyes, my body arching up to meet his. His arm tightened around my waist, drawing me closer, as his other hand slipped to my neck. He ran a thumb across my lower lip, his calloused finger just barely skimming its burning surface. I opened my eyes, finding his blazing sapphire eyes staring back at me. I breathed out, my breath skating over his fingers.

A searing pain ripped through my chest. It was my sworn duty as a Sheikah to do whatever I had to do to save the Princess, and Hyrule. No matter what my heart was saying, I could not shirk my duties. I would have to go to the Shadow World; I would have to leave Link.

The pain in my chest intensified, but I pushed it down. I had tonight. Shutting my eyes, I closed the distance between us.

As my lips touched his, Link groaned softly into my mouth, his arms tightening around me. It seemed his thoughts mirrored mine. Link's hands came up suddenly to grasp my face. He slanted his mouth, his tongue sweeping in to meet mine. My arms slithered up around his neck, and I stood on tiptoe to reach him better. My body melded with his, fully pressed against his entire length. Link spun us around and pressed me into the wall. He moved his hands so they were on either side of my head, effectively blocking me in. He lowered his face so that it was on level with mine.

"You are mine," he growled.

I nodded. "I am yours." My body shivered at the tone of his voice, so dominating. His eyes gazed fiercely into mine as he nodded slowly in turn. Taking one hand off the wall, he inched it down so that it was sitting on my hip again.

With his finger, he lightly traced a pattern against the material covering my hip. The sensation sent goose bumps racing down my spine, and I whimpered, my hips jerking, trying to make contact with his.

Desire, anger, and pain warred within the unfathomable depths of Link's eyes. He shifted his hands, holding my hips firmly in place. I whined low in my throat as he moved forward, his hips brushing ever so softly against mine.

"Link, _please_," I moaned. Desire had long since pooled in my groin, now quite obvious through the fabric of my pants.

Link complied with my request, bringing his hips forward. I hissed at the sensation of his body moving against mine.

He leaned down and captured my lips again. He shifted his hold from my hips to my waist. Never breaking our kiss, he lifted me up into his arms.

Our harsh breathing was the only sound to be heard in the dim chamber as Link carried me to the bed. He lowered me onto the blankets, his movements so achingly tender. He rested his forehead against mine as he knelt over me, one hand on my thigh, the other cradling my face.

"I love you, Sheik," he whispered.

I swallowed hard against the fresh onslaught of tears. "I love you, too, Link," I whispered in return.

He nodded, the action confirming both my words and some question of his. Lowering his head, he placed a kiss over my heart.

With that simple kiss, my whole body ignited once again. The reality of the coming day faded into the background of my mind, and all I knew was Link.

"Link, please," I said, simply. He nodded again, his breathing increasing, the color high on his cheekbones. With practiced ease, he slid my entrapments off, followed closely by my tight shirt. As he paused to kiss along my collarbone, I fumbled with his clothing, yanking off his tunic and undershirt. I arched off the bed, causing our bare chests to slide together. His skin, so smooth and cool, soothed the raging fire that radiated from mine. I whimpered at the contact. Link growled into my ear, his hands roughly shoving me back into the mattress. He followed me down, his hips once again grinding into mine. The burning need raged higher.

He kissed along my collarbone and up my neck, his teeth nipping at the tender flesh. I raked my nails up his back as he rolled his hips forward into mine. I swallowed his gasp in a kiss, and slid my palms soothingly down his back.

He slowed the kiss as his hands returned to my waist. He traced a pattern lightly over the skin above the waistband of my pants. I growled low in my throat at his teasing. Without hesitation, he undid the fastening and slid them off. I followed his movements, sitting up with him. His eyes traced along my naked body as I leaned forward. The corner of his mouth tilted up ever so slightly, a look I knew to be one of complete contentment. His leggings slid off with ease, giving me an unobstructed view of his body. I would forever remember him in that moment, the fire dancing over his nude body, the shadows and light playing along its surface. His eyes held nothing but love and desire. I felt an answering love course through my veins, its presence changing me irrevocably. No matter how long I lived, no matter what I was to be, I would always love the Hero before me.

Link closed the distance between us. His movements did not hold the frenzy and desperation from before; rather, he moved almost reverently to me. He placed a finger under my chin and lifted, his lips brushing against mine, like the softest of butterfly's wings. He inched closer, his other hand coming to rest in my hair. I eased my hands up his chest, fanning them over the smooth planes of muscle. Rising to his knees, he slid me under him, his lips never leaving mine. Nestled between my legs, Link continued his tender assault. His hardness pressed into mine, and the sensation sent a shock through me. The fever rose again.

"Link, I need you," I gasped out as I arched into him. He growled in response, his hands running down my sides to grasp at my hips.

He nipped at my neck before reaching for something on the bedside table. His hips moving against mine kept me distracted. The subtle scent of chamomile drifted through the air as he returned to me.

He shifted his hold as his lips descended on mine. His hands glided lower, stroking and preparing me. As his ministrations continued, I keened loudly and writhed on the bed, the feeling of his fingers within me almost too much to bear. He withdrew his hand and lifted his head, his eyes meeting mine. He positioned his hips, never breaking our eye contact.

I barely even registered the muted pain as he moved forward. My body arched with inexplicable pleasure as he filled me completely, my hands balled into fists against Link's chest. I bit my lip to prevent a whimper from escaping as he shifted his hips, my eyes shutting against the sensation. He licked a trail up my ear as he tentatively moved again, and this time, I could not hold back the groan. Link's own breathing was harsh as he controlled his movements, trying to keep from hurting me.

"Link," I whispered, drawing his head down to mine.

"Yes?" he asked on an exhaled moan.

"Move." Biting his shoulder, I slammed my hips up to meet his. Link gasped, his arms nearly buckling. His lips crashed into mine as he thrust into me, and I eagerly deepened the kiss.

We rocked together in the dark, connected not only by our bodies, but by our souls as well. In that moment, I knew that what we had was right, that the pleasure we shared was right.

Link's hand closed around my hardness, stroking me in time with his movements. It all became too much. His hands and mouth and body threw me over the edge, but I was not alone. He followed right behind me, his shout mingling with my soul-deep groan.

He collapsed on top of me, our chests heaving together in the aftermath, the sweat on our bodies cooling with the breeze that blew in from the window. His hair fanned over my chest, the fire illuminating its depths. Tilting my head forward, I pressed a lingering kiss to his forehead.

"I make a vow, to no one but you. I pledge my heart and soul to yours. I will guide your way, and clear your path. Though we may part, our hearts are one. I am yours, now and forever."

Link's eyes met mine as I declared my oath. His expression was solemn as he accepted my words.

"You've had my heart for a long time now. I freely give you my heart and love, and trust that you will keep them for me." His lips lifted into a crooked grin as he shrugged his shoulders.

His eyes captured mine. Our lips met and held in a soft kiss. Relinquishing my lips after a few moments, Link shifted so that he lay next to me. Gathering me into his arms, he sighed gently.

"Sleep, Sheik. Save it for tomorrow. It will keep for the night."

We had so much to face on the morrow. But for the moment, I sighed in contentment and let sleep claim me.

* * *

The rays of the rising sun found Link and I sitting on the tallest battlement. I sat between his legs, my back resting against his chest, his arms around me. We had been there for nearly an hour, resting in companionable silence. But with the rising of the sun, the silence had to be broken.

"Talk to me, Sheik. Tell me of your quest," Link demanded.

My eyes traced the contours of one of the clouds lit by the sun's beams. "The Shadow Warriors are an ancient race, crafted by the goddesses themselves. They live in a world filled with twilight and shadow, and cannot reside in our world. Many people doubt the existence of such a race, but I know them to be real. The Triforce, as you know, has three parts to it: Power, Courage, and Wisdom; Fire, Wind, and Water; and, it is represented by three triangles. Triforce. Broken down, the word means 'three forces.' Many people fail to recognize, however, that there is a fourth triangle. In the middle, holding everything together, sits Shadow. It offsets the light of the world, maintaining balance and offering protection. There lies the Shadow Warriors, the beings created by the goddesses to hold and protect the power of Shadow." I could feel Link's attentiveness. He had never heard _this _legend before. "The Sheikah are related to the Shadow Warriors, in a way. Like I said, the Warriors cannot live in our world, but they can stay here for a time. How else could they protect it? They are extremely powerful. Our only hope in surviving all this madness lies with them. They have enough power to turn the tide in our favor.

"The only problem is their pride. As a Warrior race, they are fiercely proud. None but a full-blooded Sheikah can request the help of the Warriors, and only in times of extreme distress. The Warriors require a payment for their…services, if you will."

Link's arms tightened around me. "But why?" he demanded. "As servants to the greater good, they should not require such a price. It's not like they've been exactly active in the last few hundred years."

I shook my head at his words. "I do not understand why, either. But I do know that they are our only chance, and that I will do what I must to save this world."

Link remained silent for a few minutes, mulling over my words. "How do you reach the Shadow World?"

I grinned. "How else? Through the Shadow Temple."

He shuddered. "Figures. Where though? And how?"

"Link," I said slowly, my suspicions aroused, "you cannot follow me."

"I never said anything about following," he replied. I didn't need to see his shifty gaze as he answered. I could _feel _it.

"It can only be accessed by a Sheikah, but the entrance is where Bongo-Bongo made his dwelling."

"Figures," Link muttered again.

I twisted in his grasp. "I'm being serious, Link. You cannot follow me."

Link snorted contemptuously. "You cannot think that I would let you go without a fight, Sheik. Seriously. I'm _me_. Of course I'm going to follow you. Of course I'm going to fight."

For a brief moment, the pleasure that his persistence brought overshadowed my fear. But then the fear broke through. "Link, you will die if you try to follow me. You cannot risk going after me when you have a war to fight."

"Who said anything about shirking my war duties? I'll fight and win, and _then_ I'll get you back."

His optimism sent a pang through my heart. He didn't understand. I stared unflinchingly into his eyes. "Link, I won't be the same. They require more than just my physical being. I have to surrender to them my soul."

My words seemed to unsettle him for a moment. Then he grinned. "You already surrendered it to me."

I rolled my eyes. His levity was the only thing keeping me from falling to pieces. In a few scant hours, I would leave the world of Hyrule and enter another realm, one from which I would never be able to return. Desperation tinged my vision, as well as my voice.

"I love you, Link. No matter what happens, no matter who I become," I said in earnest.

Link smiled gently. "I know you do. I love you, Sheik. Don't worry: I will not lose you."

Despite my better judgment and knowledge, I clung to his words, putting foolish hope in them. Reaching up, I held his face between my hands. "See that you don't." His only response was to smile and kiss me.


	24. Seeking the Truth

Chapter 24 Seeking the Truth

Author's Note: My sincerest apologies on the length of time that has elapsed since my last post. As always, life got in the way. But I am now a high school graduate, college-bound (with lots of college credit) girl with a whole summer of writing planned.

Thank you so much to those who have read my story and encouraged me to continue:

**Sonic's****  
Zelda****  
Midnight Storm the Hedgedna****  
Teck The Sheikah  
ShokubaiYume  
Dazja  
Okamihanyou-Lin****  
Shadow of ZAFT  
Demerol Aya  
Anelir-sensei  
Hunter of Darkness  
Pandora  
Chistarpax  
Illyric****  
AtroxBasium  
NinjaSheik  
BB Bunni-chan**  
and** ryttu3k.**

Prepare yourselves, ladies and gentleman. The shit's about to hit the fan.

LPOV

Beneath the battlement I stood upon, Sheik rode Samar out the eastern gate. He wore his traditional Sheikah clothing, his mask in place, blade strapped across his lower back. Even from a distance, I could see that his eyes held no warmth, no spark of life; his blood red eyes were cold and set, all emotion gone. I turned away.

He knew his path. And I knew mine.

SPOV

I could feel Link's eyes on me as I spurred Samar out the gate. I did not look back.

LPOV

"What are you doing?" Zelda asked me. I sat back on my heels and gestured to the trunk in front of me.

"I'm trying to find the old census records. I need to know if there is any recorded mention of Kein."

"You know his father was Larron," Zelda noted, walking further into the musty records room. Placing a foot upon the hearth, her eyes regarded me. "Link, are you okay?"

I knew what she was asking. I smirked self-deprecatingly. "I am well enough to fulfill my duty to you and Hyrule, Zelda. And for now, that is the best we can hope for." I returned to my rummaging, lifting scroll after scroll for inspection.

She sighed. "I am truly sorry, Link."

"Don't be," I answered absently. "It's not like he's gone forever. I'm getting him back as soon as I finish this."

Zelda said nothing. I knew she believed Sheik to be irrevocably lost. I happened to believe differently.

A date caught my eye for twenty years previously. I opened the scroll and scanned its contents.

"Did you find something?" Zelda asked. I ignored her.

The scroll documented the notable people of two decades past. My eyes perused the list, catching on names I knew.

Prince Valek: son of Duchess Tamara, daughter to Lord Maysa and Lady Fadil. Viscount Hadin: son of Lord Yelsin and Lady Saline. Apprentice Healer Sileph: son of spirit healer Jophesh and Luuna. And on and on it went.

"Here's something," I murmured, holding the scroll out for Zelda to read.

"Sheikah Larron, married to Lady Ren," Zelda read. "I do not recall a Lady Ren."

My eyes continued down the scroll. "Ren has a Gerudo ancestor."

"What? Where?"

"There," I said, pointing to one of the side family trees. "See here, she shares this great-great-grandmother Alys with one of the Gerudo ambassadors. So Kein has some Gerudo in him as well."

"The Gerudos keep excellent birth records. Why not pay them a visit? If Ren had some Gerudo blood in her, I can guarantee that she is in their books, and quite possibly Kein. And keep in mind, Kein's clan is from the desert. The possibility exists that you may run in to him."

I laughed. "Doubtful, Princess. He hid the existence of himself and his entire clan for the past goddesses know how many years. If he doesn't want to be found, he won't be."

"True," Zelda sighed again. "I must go. There is still much to be done. You only have a couple of days, Link. We must obtain the Master Sword before the ritual is performed. Hopefully, Ganondorf's soul and body will remain separated, and therefore weakened to our attack. At the very least it will give us an opportunity to take care of some of the lesser enemies before he is at his full strength."

I tucked the scroll with Ren's name into the pouch on my belt, then met Zelda's gaze. "Sounds like a plan to me. If you need to contact me, use the ocarina. I'm heading back to the desert, but I need to speak with Impa before I leave. Do you know where she is?"

"I'm right here," Impa's voice answered out of the shadows.

"You could've introduced your presence," I said crossly, annoyed that she could still navigate around me without my knowledge.

A corner of Impa's mouth lifted briefly. "Now where's the fun in that?" The corner dropped back into a frown. "What did you want to discuss?"

"Before you get into it," Zelda said, standing up straight, "I've got to run. Be back here in two days, Link. If you absolutely need more time, be back here the morning of the third day. We'll be retrieving the Master Sword then, and obviously we need you to do that. Good luck."

I stood and pulled Zelda into an embrace. "Thanks Zelda. I'll be back soon."

Zelda backed away. "May the goddesses be with you." I nodded at her blessing and she disappeared out the door.

I turned back to Impa. "Impa, we need to discuss a few things before I leave."

One of her eyebrows lifted. "Ask away."

"Where exactly did Sheik go?"

Impa had expected this question. She did not attempt to evade it, but rather answered me completely. I listened in rapt silence.

"Sheik has gone to the Shadow World, also known as the Twilight Realm. It is a world of darkness and shadows, a place reserved for those who have done evil in this world. To understand this place, you must know its history. I will share this knowledge with you.

"Many decades ago, some time after the creation of the Sacred Realm, a tribe known as the Interlopers attempted to steal the Triforce. They were a powerful race of sorcerers, and could not be stopped by mere mortals. The Interlopers were in fact Sheikah."

"What?" I asked incredulously. Impa nodded gravely and continued.

"As time had passed, knowledge of the Triforce, and the wishes it could grant, became widespread. Hyrule was not united under one banner; suspicion swept across the land. The various races feared that another race would obtain the Triforce, and rule the entire land. Hatred and dissension erupted into a full-blown civil war when the Interlopers attacked.

"They were some of the most powerful Sheikah to have ever lived. Their mastery of both magic and weapons was unparalleled. None could hope to stand against them, especially divided. War razed this land, bringing death and total destruction. For many years this continued. Finally, the goddesses could watch the carnage no more.

"The goddesses intervened with the help of the Light Spirits. The Interlopers were sealed away in a world created by the goddesses to stop them from ever bringing such ruin to Hyrule again. It pains me to say that the vast majority of the Sheikah tribe had defected to the Interlopers; very few loyal Sheikah remained. These Sheikah were forever bound to protect the Royal Family. They had acted in such a capacity before, but after the Hyrulean Civil War, they had no choice. As for the Interlopers, they too became bound to the Royal Family, to be called upon in times of great need.

"Although they entered the Twilight Realm with their human form, as time passes, they lose more and more of their human characteristics. Human emotions such as love, desire, and pain cease to exist in them. They exist only to serve, and apart from that, their creeping apathy keeps them subdued. Bound by the magic the goddesses set in place, in no way can they betray the Royal Family.

"Although all the tribes in Hyrule fought each other with such savagery, no race suffered the prejudice and discrimination that the remaining Sheikah faced. Although they had nothing to do with the Interlopers, these Sheikah became an object to be feared and hated.

Impa sighed, her eyes sad. "The tear was added to our crest after the last king slaughtered nearly all the remaining Sheikah. They did nothing to deserve this. The entirety of my family and Sheik's family were victims of this senseless violence. Until recently, I believed Sheik and I to be the only Sheikah left; however, I believe some full-blooded Sheikah still exist somewhere in this world, as evidenced by those in Kein's group."

Coming back to face me, she continued her tale.

"Now, as for Sheik. He has gone to the Twilight Realm to summon the Interlopers. With their help, our chances of survival increase dramatically. As is the way of the Shadow World, a price must always be paid. Sheik had to sacrifice himself to their world in order to gain their help. Without them, we have no hope.

"I know you want to save him, Link. I will not lie to you, as it is not our way. You cannot get him back." She held up a hand as I started to protest. "However, I know you. If there is _any _possible way to retrieve him, you will find it. I want Sheik back as much as you do, Link. He is my family, he is my blood. Therefore, I will tell you what I know, and you must take it from there.

"You remember Bongo Bongo?" she queried.

Involuntarily, I shuddered. "Yeah, I do."

She nodded. "He was not always a monster." I raised an eyebrow. "He was once a Sheikah." I raised the other eyebrow. "His house stood where the well is now in Kakariko Village. He was an extremely powerful Sheikah; he crafted the Lens of Truth.

"During the Hyrulean Civil War, he joined the Interlopers, and betrayed the Royal Family. As one of the leading Interlopers, so powerful and so well-versed in Shadow Magic, this man was not sent to the Twilight Realm. Instead, he was executed and his spirit was sealed in the bottom of the well, to be forever shrouded in darkness, illusions, and lies.

"As time passed, his evil spirit evolved into the form you defeated all those years ago. You know how he broke free of the well with Ganondorf's help, and wreaked havoc on the village. I have been thinking that the recent attack on Kakariko Village was actually an attempt to free Bongo-Bongo once again. Thankfully, I strengthened that Seal years ago, and he's not getting out anytime soon.

"Anyway, once the rest of the Interlopers were safely locked away in the Twilight Realm, the goddesses created a bridge between this world and the World of Shadows. Known as the Mirror of Twilight, it acts as the passage between the worlds. They placed it within the Shadow Temple."

"How apropos," I commented.

"Indeed," Impa agreed. "They placed it deep within the Temple, of course. It can be accessed through the chamber that, for a time, housed Bongo-Bongo. I'm not sure how or where though. That is something you will have to discover for yourself."

"I'm sure I'll figure it out," I replied, rising to my feet. "The goddesses have a lovely habit of leaving some extremely obvious clues."

"Obvious to the Hero of Time, perhaps," Impa rejoined with a smirk.

Moving forward, I wrapped Impa in a tight embrace. She stiffened beneath me for a moment, then returned the hug. Briefly.

"Thank you. I _will _get Sheik back. There is no doubt."

She smiled gently. "None at all."

Slightly overwhelmed by all that I had learned, I set out for the desert shortly after leaving the records room. My mind whirled with new information, trying to sort it all out. I had had no idea about the Interlopers and the true nature of the destruction of the Sheikah tribe.

Epona set a swift pace across the green field. I noted the clouds building in the distance.

The storm was coming.

* * *

"What brings you back here at a time like this, Hero?" Aveil asked as she led me through the courtyard. Heavily armed guards glanced in our direction as we traversed the dusty stretch. Aveil herself was armed to the teeth, with twin scimitars strapped to her back, two fighting knives at her hips, and the goddesses only know how many throwing knives tucked into her pouffy pants. The Gerudos, like all the other races, were preparing for the imminent attack. Some had already transferred into Kakariko, while some remained in the fortress to defend against anything that came in from the desert.

"I need to look through your records. That man, Kein, disappeared with the Stones in tow. My job, of course, is to find Kein and the Stones. He has a Gerudo ancestor, so I figured I'd check your records to see if any more information exists. Also, his tribe makes their home in the desert, we think, so maybe I'll come across him."

Aveil agreed with a nod of her head. She led me through a maze of dark, cool corridors till we finally reached a similarly dusty records room.

"They're assorted by date starting at this shelf here," she gestured to the wall on the far left, "and ending over there. Good luck. If you need anything, just holler. I won't be far."

Already making my way toward the newer scrolls, I acknowledged her words with a tilt of my head. I felt her presence disappear behind me, and reached for a scroll at random. With this many scrolls, I could only pray that the Gerudos dated things.

SPOV

My steps made not a sound as I raced down the black, empty passageways. With so little time, I could not afford to walk. Despite my earlier words to Link, I did find the Shadow Temple to be a rather unpleasant place to visit. I do not know if it was always so dank and dark, but my guess would be probably. I suppose with such an important portal to protect against intruders, the Temple would have to be as imposing as possible.

My heart raced faster at as my thoughts turned to the Shadow Realm. Those I sought, the Shadow Warriors, the evil Interlopers of old, were extremely powerful, even after so many years of imprisonment. I knew hardly anything about them, especially in regards to their current state. At this point, it hardly mattered. I was in this for the long run.

Lost in my thoughts, I almost ran right into the back of a ReDead. Leaping up at the last second, I held fast to the ceiling and looked down at the creature below me.

I had figured this place to be untouched by the pervading evil. The Shadow Warriors were bound to the Royal Family; they would prove useless to the enemy. The undead warrior beneath me shuffled around a bit, its gaping mouth drawing in great rasps of air. The rattling noise made hairs rise on my neck. I squashed the sensation. One ReDead would prove little challenge.

As I shifted to drop from the ceiling, its head whipped up with surprising speed. Its empty eyes locked on my figure, and its body convulsed as it loosed a terrifying screech, summoning others to its location.

I could feel the ReDead's scream coursing through my veins, paralyzing my muscles. As the sound of hundreds of shuffling feet reached my ears, my fingers lost their grip and my body thudded to the floor.

The impact jarred sensation back into my body, but not soon enough to evade the ReDead's reach. The putrid smell of rotting flesh assaulted my senses as the thing wrapped its body around my torso, blocking off my vision. Its arms held fast as I struggled to throw it off, while the noise of the approaching ghouls grew louder.

I thought fast. Giving one last violent struggle, I fell limp in the thing's arms, not even drawing in breath. One heartbeat passed, then two, and the creature loosened its grip ever so slightly, believing me to be dead. Immediately, I slithered out of its arms and into a crouch on the floor. The undead looked around in something akin to bewilderment. Still not making a sound, I withdrew the two knives in my boots and shot to my feet. In one swift motion, I crossed my arms and sliced clean through the creature's neck.

Its head rolled to the floor, its mouth still hanging open. I looked down at it in disgust. Bringing my booted foot down hard on its face, rotting bones and flesh crunched beneath my sole and spilled out onto the floor. A gurgling groan returned my attention to the hallway in front of me. More than a hundred of the undeads stood before me.

"I don't have time for this," I growled. Yanking out my harp, I played the Sun's Song with impatience, watching dispassionately as a bright light flashed through the tunnel, freezing every one of the damn monsters in place.

I closed my eyes for a moment, and drew in several deep breaths. I rose to my feet. Raising my arms above my head, I placed the heel of my hands together.

"Expello malum ut regnum umbra," I chanted, keeping my eyes locked on the monsters. Inky shadow filled my hands and flooded over, gathering in size as it gushed over the frozen ghouls. As always, I watched in fascination as the Re-Deads dissolved into pieces from the feet up as soon as the Shadow touched them.

I could feel the toll of the spell all throughout my body. It was a powerful spell, and a difficult one. However, I could no longer afford to feel such things as fatigue. Shrugging it off, I hurried on.

After another half-hour, filled with nothing more than scampering rodents and one stray Gibdo, I dropped silently into Bongo-Bongo's old chamber.

In this timeline, Bongo-Bongo never gained enough power to break free of his seal from beneath the well. As a result, this chamber stood empty, the strange material on the floor giving slightly beneath my feet as I walked to the far wall.

Bongo-Bongo had once stood guard over this end of the room, viciously attacking anyone who attempted to pass him. Posing as Ganondorf's lackey, I knew Bongo-Bongo was sent to this room to protect the very portal I sought. Although the Shadow Realm and its occupants had been forgotten by many, Ganondorf remembered, and he did not want the Royal Family summoning them, knowing that his victory would be much harder to gain with the Shadow Warriors fighting against him. Link defeated Bongo-Bongo, unaware that the gate to a powerful group of warriors was only steps away. In any case, the Royal Family couldn't have summoned them; Zelda was in my body, and Impa had awakened as a Sage. No pure-blooded Sheikah existed that could cross into the Shadow Realm.

My eyes pierced the darkness as I studied the wall in front of me. It stretched high above my head, into darkness that even I could not penetrate. I walked back and forth in front of it, my eyes covering every inch.

Minutes passed, and still I could discern nothing about the portal's location. For once, I could not think of a song that would help me out. And then, I had an idea.

The whole process of summoning these warriors involved sacrifice, some sort of sick compensation for having imprisoned these Sheikah so many years ago. To reveal the portal, I knew I had to give a part of myself, as if I wasn't giving enough already.

I hopped off the platform and into the still water; the poisonous liquid had vanished along with Bongo-Bongo's presence. Drawing my Shadow Sword, I slid it quickly across the inside of my palm. Blood welled immediately, pooling in my hand. I lifted my bleeding hand and smeared it across the wall, where the stone varied ever so slightly in color. Clutching my hand to my chest, I stepped back and viewed my handy work. For several moments, nothing happened.

All of a sudden, the wall trembled violently in rapid succession. Stones fell away from the place I had smeared my blood, splashing into the water at my feet. Vaulting back onto the platform, I watched in amazement as more and more rocks fell away, revealing a mirror that stood more than a dozen feet in diameter. Intricate circular patterns covered the face of the mirror: rings of interconnected triangles and squares that grew smaller towards the middle, where an image of the Triforce sat. An onyx frame shot through with veins of emerald green encased the mirror.

"By the three," I murmured in awe. At the sound of my voice, the rings on the mirror began spinning in various directions, while the Triforce in the middle grew brighter. I drew in a breath of surprise as a staircase of shimmering shadow steps emerged from the mirror, descending toward me, and stopping in front of my toes.

Never taking my eyes off the mirror, I swallowed a swig of red potion, barely noticing the tickling sensation as the cut on my hand mended. The mirror flashed, beckoning me onward. I hesitated. Through that looking glass lay a land of darkness, a land devoid of joy and love and desire; a land devoid of Link.

I shook my head. This was my destiny. I could not back down now.

Taking a deep breath, I ascended the stairs and entered the Mirror of Twilight.

LPOV

To my utter horror, the Gerudos did _not _date their scrolls. In the past two precious hours, I had gone through over three hundred scrolls, seeking a name I recognized. These scrolls held bloodlines exclusive to the Gerudos; finding a Hylian among them was rare. The documents were meticulous and well organized; unfortunately, they made little sense to me.

I finally broke down and called Aveil to aid me.

As she entered the room, a superior smirk graced her features. "Does the Hero need help reading?" she asked mockingly.

My scowl would have cowed a lesser person. "No. But your damn scrolls don't have any dates on them, AND there are about a dozen Hylian names in the whole batch. How the hell am I supposed to make any sense of this?"

Her chest heaved with an exaggerated sigh. "Men," my scowl deepened. "Always needing help. Look Link, who do you seek?"

"I'm looking for an Alys. She would have lived one hundred years ago, give or take a few decades. Her great-great granddaughter, Ren, gave birth to Kein, the half-Sheikah we seek."

"Pssh, why didn't you say that to begin with?" And cool as you please, she walked to the eleventh case and plucked half a dozen scrolls off the fourth shelf. "She was well-known for her seeing abilities. Everyone knows of her."

My jaw snapped shut with an audible clack. Aveil raised her eyebrow at me as she handed me the scrolls, noting my clenched jaw.

"I wasted TWO HOURS and you could have told me where it was all along?" I said, my voice raising to a shout.

Her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You never asked. Those humble enough to seek aid are most richly awarded," she chided me.

"Fuck off," I grumbled, yanking the scrolls out of her outstretched hand.

"Tone, Hero, tone. Do you need anything else?"

My glare was answer enough. She exited the room, her smirk broader than ever.

I huffed in anger and opened the scroll on top. The first one documented Alys' ancestry, branching off into her extended family. My eyes skimmed it, following her bloodline down the page. The fifth scroll I examined documented Alys' actual descendants. Near the end of the page, I found what I was looking for: Ren, married to the Sheikah Larron. Beneath the bracket connecting their names, a straight line flowed down to one Kein; beside his name a note had been made by whoever wrote these scrolls. It read: _A half-Sheikah, born to bear a burden few could handle. Chosen by the goddesses. _

That was it. I sighed in frustration. It told me nothing I didn't already know. Come to think of it, this whole "tracing their roots" thing hadn't worked that well in the first place. Why did I think it would help this time?

My eyes caught on the last scroll. The possibility existed that it contained something further on Kein, or perhaps his family. Opening the scroll, my eyes flickered over the neatly written names.

From what I gathered, these people were descendants of Alys' brother-in-law. As I reached the middle of the page, already losing interest, my eyes caught on a name. For a moment, I could not place it. Then, recognition came to me. Curious, I followed the bloodline down. As I read each of the descendants, my confusion grew. My eyes flickered back and forth between two cousins, and the children they bore. My mind flashed to a conversation held not too long ago in this very fortress, a conversation I had thought to be a total waste of time. I looked at the scroll again, remembering the words spoken to me and Sheik about a certain young man. Understanding dawned on me. My eyes widened in horror.

"Oh _fuck_."


	25. Solas and Faileas

Chapter 25 Solas and Faileas

**Author Note**: OMG WHAT? AN UPDATE? Yes, it's true. So it's been almost a year since I last updated, and I only have one word to explain this horrific hiatus: college. I had a wonderful first year that was filled to bursting with classes and extra curricular activities and my best friend becoming my boyfriend. Also, I re-wrote this chapter several times, as it didn't sit right with me and required lots of change. However, I do apologize for the long wait, and I would like to say a big thanks to all of you that reviewed and messaged me to make sure I hadn't died. I promise the next update will not be a year from now!  
Once again, a big thank you to all my reviewers:  
Crazed-Yaoi-Fan, anonymous, Cerulean-Guava, Vanamarilla, Merlins, Icy Sapphire15, merlyn1382, TwiliightZelda, Flamboyant Conjurer, Trolly's Bara-chan, Adlevo, LoliHollywood, artfagg, darkwolflink1, kittariku, SHADOW13, kitty, purpleheartxxx, Illyric, Ayamekitsune, Apollonis, Alys Lynn, x-KuroxShiroxAi-x, Lynari, Ani, Hunter of Darkness, Anelir-sensei, Master Sapphire 69, and a special thanks to Okamihanyou-Lin, who messaged me multiple times to check up on me and offered bribes to get me back to writing!

By the way, the story's not over yet, but it's close. Enjoy!

SPOV

Palpable shadows swirled around my feet as I stood at the threshold of the Twilight Realm. Moments passed as I waited for my head to clear. A curious buzzing sound filled my head, and a steady pressure could be felt at the center of my chest, directly beneath the Sheikah crest.

True to its name, the Twilight Realm was lit by the deceptive light of dusk. My eyes adjusted with ease, however, as I was much accustomed to shadow and half-light. The Mirror was positioned on the edge of a rocky outcropping. My stomach dropped as I realized that everything within sight was floating. Buildings were erected on floating islands, some connected by bridges, others standing alone. The edges dropped away into a fathomless nothingness.

A dark mist covered the ground in front of me. My heart hammered in my chest as shapes coalesced from the inky pools into human figures. They stood before me, their numbers multiplying by the second. The pressure increased on my chest until I could hardly breathe; I resisted the urge to fall to one knee. The buzzing grew louder in my ears, and the shapes seemed to swell before my eyes. A burning sensation at my back cleared my mind for a moment, and my hand sought the sheath strapped there. I withdrew the Shadow Sword; as the blade came free, a blinding light filled the area. Although I could not see, I knew the light came from the blade.

The light had its own physicality. I could feel it combating both the pressure on my chest and the buzzing in my ears. My mind sharpened and my eyesight cleared; I perceived that the figures had shrunk away from the light.

Strength flowed down the hand holding the knife and into my arms, down my back and legs, straightening and firming my stance. I couldn't be sure, but for an instance I thought I felt the light caress my face.

Suspicion flared in my mind, but then I had no time to think. A voice erupted out of the crowd, parting the sea of shadowy figures. The voice hit my ears like metal scraping across rock; definitely not a pleasant sound. It retained a vestige of humanity, but just barely. As he came into view, I could feel the power emanating from his slightly deformed figure. So wrathful and powerful. As he drew closer, the light emitting from the sword, though not as strong, was enough to illuminate his features. Patterns of green and gray streaked across his face and down his neck. His eyes were pupil-less and bright red, set farther back in his triangular face. His arms, roped with muscles, hung slightly lower than the average humans, and his legs, too, seemed abnormally long.

"Whence have you come?" he demanded of me.

The Twili before me could only be a member of the original tribe of Interlopers. His life force, though warped by his enslavement, was greater still than almost all the others gathered.

The light, pulsating around me, flared for a moment, as if beckoning me to speak.

"I am Sheik, of the Sheikah. I have come to enlist your aid on behalf of the Royal Family. A great evil threatens the balance of the world. It is a tide that cannot be turned by the races of Hyrule alone; it threatens to consume everything in its path. The Royal Family requests your assistance in restoring balance to the world."

A murmur raced across the assembled crowd. I watched with detached curiosity as emotions flitted across their face. Though they were irrevocably bound to do everything in their power to protect the Royal Family, their expressions suggested that they were, in fact, still free to _feel_ however they wanted about the situation.

The Interloper's rage, tangible as it was, flared for a moment before being replaced by unmitigated subservience.

"A sacrifice must be paid," he replied.

"The requirements are understood, and stand to be fulfilled," I returned solemnly. This was it.

"And so one realizes the consequences?"

"Yes." I answered gravely, my voice betraying none of the panic and terror I was feeling. The light pulsed a few shades brighter around me.

"Then we have no time to waste. Step forward, Sheikah, and accept your destiny."

Taking a deep breath, I descended the dais and knelt at the ancient's feet.

LPOV

"Aveil!" I shouted, leaping to my feet. I stuffed the lineage scroll in my pouch and sprinted to the door. "AVEIL!"

I skidded to a halt, nearly colliding with her as she materialized in the doorway. She took one look at my face and her smirk fell away. "What is it, Link?" she asked urgently.

"I need to speak with Nabooru and Alea right this instant. We literally have not a moment to lose."

She nodded and turned on her heel. I followed closely behind her as we ran down the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest.

_It can't be true, it can't be true_, my mind kept chanting repeatedly.

"Salaam!" Aveil called to an approaching Gerudo, "Get Alea and meet me in the War Room at once." The guard nodded and leaped out of sight.

An eternity passed as we raced down endless hallways. Finally, we turned into a room that I had never seen before. A detached part of my mind vaguely wondered how I had missed all these rooms in the fortress. Weapons of every sort lined three walls of the room, while a map of Hyrule covered the fourth wall. A large table dominated the center of the room, on which stood a small-scale version of the land, replete with mountains, waterways, and villages. Nabooru stood at the table, her head bent in concentration as she viewed the arrangement of defensive troops in Kakariko.

Her head jerked up as we entered, her calculating eyes immediately taking in my frantic expression.

"What is it, Link?"

"We have a big problem."

Zelda POV

Standing on the hill above the well, sadness filled my heart as my eyes swept over the forces gathered in Kakariko. Why did my people have to endure so much? Hadn't we already been through enough? I sighed, wishing things were different.

"Is anything wrong, Princess?" Impa asked, her low voice soothing my nerves, as it had always done.

I smiled sadly. "Everything."

Impa's gaze followed mine, studying the forces gathered. "We will win. We will always win."

Sudden anger seized me. "But at what cost?" I demanded roughly. "Why can't the goddesses smile favorably upon this land for once? How many more lives have to be ruined or lost before we can live in peace?"

Impa placed a hand on my shoulder. "As many as it takes. As long as there is good, there will always be evil. And we must fight it every day."

I sighed again, knowing she was right. "I worry for Link."

Impa knew to what I referred. She sighed as well. "He is determined to bring him back."

Turning to her, eagerness filled my voice. "Do you think he will?"

Impa regarded me carefully, her eyes unfathomable. "If anyone can do it, Link will," she answered quietly. "But for the moment, we must put thoughts of that aside. We have a war to fight. A war to win."

I nodded my understanding. "When will the Shadow Warriors arrive? We are dependent upon them, at this point."

"Soon, I should think. When the, ah, sacrificial ceremony ends, they will appear."

"Good." A soldier scurried up the ladder and saluted Impa and me. "Report," I commanded.

"Market Town is completely evacuated. The healers stand ready in the graveyard, while the women and children are working to produce enough food for everyone. The potion masters have brewed large supplies of red potions, and blue for those who wield magic. The soldiers are prepared as well, their weapons sharpened and ready for battle."

"And the races?" Impa demanded.

"The Kokiri arrived minutes ago with a large supply of healing fairies in tow. The Gorons have secured the mountain pass and are gathered at the base of the mountain. The Zoras barricaded the Zora River Pass and have erected a Water Barrier on the Kakariko side of the river. Most of the Gerudos have arrived, though a few will remain in the desert until the time to fight is at hand."

Impa thanked the guard and dismissed him. "We are ready then, Zelda. All we have to do is wait."

"As they say, the waiting is the hardest part." Impa tilted her head gravely to the side in agreement.

LPOV

I slapped the lineage scroll down on the table behind Nabooru, and pointed to the bottom of the page.

"Does any of that mean anything to you?"

Her eyes studied the names carefully. "Of course. Nalan was the mother of Ganondorf."

"What is all this about?" Alea demanded as she entered the room. Her milky white eyes sent a shiver down my spine as she gazed upon my face.

"Alea, I need your help," I told her simply. She stopped by me and looked up.

"Well, what is it child?"

"Sheik and I came to you some time ago with questions of Ganondorf and his birth. You could tell us very little, except some things about his mother." She nodded and I continued. "Please, I need your help. Every hundred years, a male is born to the Gerudos that is destined to become their King. But what if_ two_ males were born to the destined Gerudo woman?"

Nabooru, who had been studying the lineage more closely, sucked in a horrified breath at my words. Her eyes flitted across the page as understanding began to steal across her features.

"I have never heard of such a thing," Alea replied, "but if it were to occur, the younger son would have to be put to death. Immediately."

The dread solidified in the pit of my gut.

"'Pain, elation, more pain, shock, fear, much fear, tentative hope, relief, then death,'" I quoted the words Alea had pronounced on the subject of Ganondor's birth. I swallowed hard. "You told me yourself that Ganondorf's mother was a gentle soul. She was meek and loving; she would have never killed her second son. She would have secreted him away, to be raised by another. Her pain of childbirth; her joy at having a son; the pain of more childbirth; her shock at having another son; the fear of what she had to do; the hope that she could avoid such an action; relief when she found another way; death when all was finished. It actually makes sense now."

"Nalan, daughter of Ralph and Dalvia, daughter of Hamal and Nawar," Nabooru whispered, her finger tracing the lineage backwards. She moved her hand across to another name. "Tamara, daughter of Fadil and Maysa, daughter of...Hamal and Nawar."

She looked at me. I filled in the rest. "Nalan sent her second son to be raised by her only living relative, her cousin, a young noblewoman who had just married a duke. A duke, it would not be a stretch to believe, that fathered Nalan's sons in the first place."

"Duke Neyak and the Duchess Tamara."

I nodded. "Valek and Ganondorf are twin brothers."

ZPOV

A bone-deep weariness stole over me as the last sunlight faded from Kakariko. Link was due back tomorrow, and the day after that would be the day to retrieve the Master Sword. Everything depended on Link and Sheik. Link had to find Kein, and then defeat Ganondorf. Sheik had to sacrifice everything in order to ensure that Link won.

In the grand scheme of things, I felt pretty damn useless.

Sighing, I pushed back my sloppy braid of golden hair, and looked at the moon. It had somehow reached its zenith without my noticing. I knew I needed to catch what sleep I could, as over the next few days, sleep would be impossible to come by.

As I turned to go, a shadow shifted to my right, alerting me to the presence of another person on the balcony. Before my hand could seek the sword strapped to my back, a sharp pain exploded across my skull, and then I knew no more.

LPOV

Nabooru swore violently and raked her hand across the table, flinging the scroll to the ground.

"I fucking knew it. We have to warn Zelda NOW, and we needed to be at Kakariko ten minutes ago. Aveil, you know what to do."

Aveil nodded swiftly and set out at a run, sounding the alarm around the fortress. Nabooru paced to the other end of the room, her eyes shut in concentration. I knew she was contacting Zelda through their bond as Sages.

I felt a gaze piercing me and turned to Alea. Her blind eyes regarded me solemnly. "The existence of the world depends on you, Hero of Time. When the final hour comes, everything will depend on you."

Her words sent a shiver down my back, but they did not surprise me. Destiny wasn't through with me yet.

"You are Solas."

"Excuse me?" I asked, not having heard that one before.

"You are Solas," she repeated, "but you cannot live without Faileas. The existence of the world depends on you. Your existence depends on Faileas."

"What is Faileas?" I questioned, needing all the information I could get.

"Not what, Hero. Who."

"Link, something is wrong," Nabooru's words lashed across the room. "I can't find Zelda's mind-link."

I drew in a harsh breath. "Are you saying she's dead?"

"I don't know. We have to go. Now." She yanked two gleaming scimitars off the wall, and strapped them to her back with a the fluidity of motion that only comes with being accustomed to such an action. She strung a bow and slung a quiver of arrows over her shoulder, then strapped a belt containing two dozen throwing knives and a fighting knife around her waist. It took her less than a minute.

"Alea, beseech the Goddess of the Sand. We need all the help we can get, divine or otherwise. Link, take my hand."

I latched onto her forearm. Alea, and the war room, disappeared in a brilliant flash of light.

We landed in the middle of Zelda's makeshift quarters in Kakariko. Total silence greeted us on every side, but only for a moment.

The door exploded inward, slamming into the wall and bouncing back on its hinges. The Gilded Sword slid smoothly from its sheath and I had already started forward when my mind registered the figure framed in the doorway.

Impa stood there, her chest heaving, her blood red eyes frantic and brilliant in their coloring. Her hands held two fighting knives typical of the Sheikah race. Nabooru brushed passed me and went to pull Impa fully into the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

"Where the hell is Zelda?" Nabooru asked.

Impa's breathing slowed as she fought to combat her panic. "Zelda is missing. After I completed the final check of the mountain pass, I came back here to wait with her. When she wasn't here, I tried contacting her through our mind link, but it was closed. Thinking she was busy around the village and distracted, I searched around. But she's not here. I can't feel her mind bond at all."

Nabooru swore violently. "Link, tell her."

I stepped forward, shaking my head. "I didn't find anything about Kein. He is no longer our biggest issue. I discovered something much, much worse. Valek is Ganondorf's twin brother."

A crate behind Impa burst into flames. Alarmed, Nabooru waved her hand in some circular pattern, and a shower of sand fell on the flames, suffocating it.

My eyes bore into Impa's, whose face appeared as stone. "We must find Valek now. I don't know how he knew about Ganondorf's imprisonment in the Void, and what happened to him in the other time line, but Valek has been the one working to free him again. He must have orchestrated the theft of Ganondorf's knife and Majora's Mask, and been behind the infiltration of evil into the Temples. I can only imagine that he took Zelda. He may already be aware that I know, or perhaps he had planned to act now all along."

Impa nodded, her face fierce in its concentration. "A plan," she bit out. "We need a plan."

Nabooru turned to me. "Go to the Temple of Time and retrieve the Master Sword. I will go with you, as I'm sure all hell will break loose once the sword has cleared the pedestal. Impa, you know the troops are prepared. Sound the alarm, and have them stand ready at their positions. Send someone to find Valek's supposed parents, especially his "mother." Contact the other Sages, and get them here. It is time. We will be back in no more than twenty minutes." Nabooru hesitated, then continued. "I cannot imagine that Zelda is dead. She is much too valuable to kill. She'll make for one hell of a bargaining chip, and Valek assuredly knows this."

Impa's face finally cleared, deadly determination playing across her features. "Go, and I will you see you on the battlefield."

I pulled out my ocarina, ready to play the song that Sheik taught me so many years ago. "Oh and Impa," Nabooru said, a strange smirk on her lips, "if we both survive this, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

Impa's reddened face was the last thing I saw as Nabooru grabbed my arm and whisked us both away to the Temple of Time.

Nabooru deposited us on the stone dais just inside the entrance to the Temple. The Door of Time stood formidably before us, the Spiritual Stones absent from the alter. Silence pressed on my eardrums.

"How are we getting in?" I asked, turning to Nabooru. I raised an eyebrow as my gaze fell from her smirking face to her hands, which somehow held all three Spiritual Stones. "How...?" I asked.

"Trade secret. Come on." I followed her to the alter, stopping on the red carpet. My heart raced as Nabooru placed the Stones in their notches, and I raised the Ocarina of Time to my lips.

The familiar and haunting melody flowed forth, ingrained in my very soul. As the last note quivered in the air, the great Door shuddered and started to slide away, revealing the chamber beyond.

"Go," she urged, following me as I raced up the steps.

The Master Sword sat gleaming in its pedestal, untouched by time. Nabooru stopped on the lower level of the dais while I continued up the steps, my pace slowing automatically as I reached the mythical sword. Warmth tingled down my sword arm, as if in anticipation of wielding the Master Sword once again.

"Nabooru," I cautioned, my back to her, "prepare yourself." Without further hesitation, I took the last step forward, grasped the hilt, and tugged upward. The sword slid free effortlessly. As it cleared the top of the pedestal, I braced myself against whatever onslaught would occur.

Silence reigned.

I began to turn. "Nabooru, I think we're o-."

A backlash of power exploded outward from the pedestal, knocking Nabooru and I to the ground as a deafening boom thundered throughout the temple, shaking the very walls.

We scrambled to our feet. "Link! We have to go!" Nabooru yelled over the din as chucks of stone fell from the ceiling. She flung her arms towards me just as a great roar rocked through the room. My blood froze. That sound had haunted my dreams, heard once before amidst the ruins of a collapsed castle. As my hand connected with Nabooru's, I saw behind her Ganondorf's viciously smiling face as he appeared in the doorway of the Temple.

I felt as if time itself slowed, and all noise faded to the background. His time in the Void had not affected his appearance: the aquiline nose, the amber eyes, the gleaming hair, the heavy, studded armor all remained the same. Expecting to be transported back to Kakariko, for the space of several heartbeats that seemed to last for minutes, my mind did not grasp that we had not moved from the dais. Ganondorf's smile widened as shock registered in Nabooru's eyes. She dropped my wrist and whirled around, her dual scimitars appearing in her hands.

Time sped back up to normal, the rumbling around us stilled, and Ganondorf spoke.

"Greetings, old friends."

Impa POV

Nearly ten minutes had passed since Link and Nabooru's departure. In that time I had updated the Sages on the current situation and roused everyone to position. Now, with precious minutes before Link and Nabooru returned, the weight of my failure resounded heavily in my mind as I oversaw the mobilization of the troops. How could I have left Zelda alone and vulnerable to attack? My one duty in life, to protect the Princess, and I had failed. Sensing my distress, Reiyassan pranced restlessly beneath me. I smoothed a hand down his neck, my eyes searching the horizon.

"Reporting," Talone spoke from behind me. I turned Reiyassan to face him.

"Proceed," I directed.

"Everyone is in place. A dispatch of Gorons remain at the entrance of the mountain pass, while the rest are in position on the front line. The Zoras have the waterways covered. Archers are in position on the ridge around the entrance. The Kokiri and their fairies are in the graveyard with the healers. Mounted horsemen and foot soldiers are providing the Gorons with cover, as are the Gerudo women."

"Anything else?" I prompted.

"Excuse me Talone," Ruto's voice interrupted. She landed next to him, decked out in the warrior armor of her race. Talone acknowledged her with a nod, and she continued her report. "The rest of the Sages have arrived and are in position. I will be leading my warriors in the waterways; Darunia will stand with the Gorons on the front-lines; Rauru will stay with the archers, attacking with Light; Nabooru, when she returns, will fight up front with the Gerudos; Saria will stay with the other Kokiri, primarily healing, but fighting if necessary. As for you, will you be fighting with the other Sheikah, once they arrive?"

"I will be leading the army into battle beside Link, and once the warriors arrive, I will fight with them," I said. "What of the spirits and creatures? Have any come to our aid?"

Ruto looked up at the mountain; I followed her gaze. "Some. The merfolk are staying within Zora's Domain and the Fountain to protect those areas, while the Water Spirits will aid us as needed. Nabooru's right-hand Aveil brought a couple dozen Iron Knuckles, but the Desert Spirits remained evasive. Saria's attempts to enlist aid were met with cryptic answers, but that is typical of forest creatures. Hopefully, some will come."

"And the Spitfires?" I asked, returning my eyes to her face.

"They are on their way."

I nodded, slightly relieved. The Spitfires lived deep within Death Mountain; they were dragon-like creatures that stood as tall as two horses stacked together. True to their name, they breathed fire; additionally, they possessed extremely thick skin and razor sharp teeth and claws. They would prove invaluable in the coming fight.

"Any sign of Valek?" she inquired.

My gaze hardened. "None."

"And the Duchess Tamara?"

"I dispatched some soldiers to find and hold her. They'll keep her in a room until I can-"

My next words did not make it out of my mouth. My breath blew forcefully out, as if the wind had been knocked out of me. An agonizing burning sensation raced across my chest, forcing me to double over in pain. Spots danced before my eyes. I dimly heard Talone's shout of concern, and could see Ruto through a haze of pain in a similar state.

"It's happening," I gasped out. "Prepare yourself."

The Seal had finally been broken. Ganondorf was back.

LPOV

"You!" Nabooru snarled.

"Hello, my little pet," Ganondorf purred. "It's been such a long time."

"You bastard," I swore, pushing past Nabooru. The Master Sword practically vibrated in my hand, being so close to something so evil. I could feel its longing to destroy such an abomination, matching my own desire. I raised the sword as I advanced closer, but stopped short on hearing another voice.

"Now, now, let's not be hasty. Brother, you are yet in no condition to fight." Valek emerged from the shadows of the doorway behind Ganondorf, stopping beside him and placing a hand upon his shoulder. He was armed to the teeth, and I could feel the crackle of magical energy pulsating around him. "Hello Link," he said conversationally, "I'm sorry we have to meet under such conditions, but you've only yourself and your meddling to blame," his bared teeth gleamed in the semidarkness of the room.

Standing side-by-side, I could see trace similarities in the brothers' appearances. Both possessed a powerful physique and intimidating height; their eyes, though differing in color, were of the same shape. Valek's skin had the same coloring of Ganondorf's pre-evil takeover, and with both men in black, studded armor, I could finally see the truth of their heritage before me.

"You fucking _swine_," I hissed between gritted teeth.

"Where is the Princess?" Nabooru interjected.

Valek shifted his eyes to the Gerudo at my side. "You no longer need to worry about that," he replied conversationally.

I could feel Nabooru's efforts to pull magic from the air around us, but it wasn't working. Valek, with such a strong magical aura around him, must have redirected our magic towards him. Stalling for time, I threw out a question.

"But how did you know about him?" I asked, indicating Ganondorf.

"We are twin brothers, bound in soul and spirit. I've always known there was another, though my surrogate mother confirmed his existence at a young age," he supplied leisurely. He seemed in no hurry, and continued. "She is not aware of who Ganondorf truly is, or what became of him in the time that was, but was not. She is still unaware that her husband is actually our father. Now our father, he is an interesting character. Such a rogue. But he supplied me with every opportunity to become the most powerful, competent individual I could be. His money and connections have insured that I developed the highest level of magical and physical abilities possible. But he too is unaware that I used his connections to discover what became of my brother, and to do whatever was necessary to bring him back." His words confirmed my suspicions about the Duke Neyak being their biological father. He looked fondly at Ganondorf. "Oh yes, this day has been so long in planning. So much research, preparation, and manipulation went into it. But finally, it has arrived." His eyes took on a hard gleam as he faced us again. "Now all that's left is to remove those that stand in our way, and take what is rightfully ours." He regarded me for a moment, a smirk dancing on his lips. "Quite honestly, I expected you or your little Sheikah pet to figure it out long ago. I gave away my identity on the first night I met you, had you been smart enough to catch it."

My lips twisted into a snarl at the 'pet' comment. "What do you mean?" I demanded.

"I believe I was introduced as Valek Garderim? Do either of my so-called parents bear that surname? I would expect you to spot an anagram when you are presented with one. Allow me to properly introduce myself. Valek Dragmire, younger twin brother to Ganondorf Dragmire. A pleasure," he added on a snicker.

"The Hero of Time has never been particularly known for his intelligence," Ganondorf spoke mockingly to Valek. "You cannot expect too much out of him."

"What of the Stones?" Nabooru threw out, forestalling my lunge forward.

Valek's expression darkened, his composure slipping for the first time; however, before he could frame his reply, a blinding flash of light filled the room.

A vortex of light engulfed Nabooru and I, separating us from Valek and Ganondorf. Energy flared outward, pushing back Valek's magical vacuum. Nabooru seized those precious seconds of freedom to snatch my wrist and warp us out of the Temple, leaving behind the brothers, their curses following our departure.

We landed on the Kakariko side of the bridge next to the other Sages. Before anyone could reach out, I stepped forward and released a shout of rage to the sky. I was not surprised to see the enemy troops gathered on the horizon, prepared for battle. Their numbers were staggering. I could feel the adrenaline surging through my veins, and the Master Sword glowed with my energy. Breathing heavily, I turned to face all the races assembled.

"Prepare yourselves to fight the greatest Evil you will ever face. Today is the day we reclaim this land of Hyrule once and for all from the hands of those that wish to destroy us. We must not allow the enemy to win! We will fight, and we will win!"

A war cry erupted from all gathered. The Sages cheered along with the rest, approval at my rousing speech etched in all their features. Epona appeared at my side, resplendently outfitted in battle armor. I swung into the saddle and pulled her back around to once again face the crowd.

"Fight with everything you have in you. Fight for all that you hold dear. Fight to reclaim that which you love." The troops roared their approval, their weapons in hand.

My impromptu pep talk complete, the Sages gathered around me. "What of Ganondorf and Valek?" Ruto asked.

"They were still in the Temple when Rauru warped us out of there. Thanks for that, by the way," I addressed the ancient Sage. "We were trapped in there." Rauru inclined his head in acceptance. I continued. "I wish we could have killed them both then and there, but Valek had created some sort of magical vacuum, so both of our spells would have been ineffective. Valek made a comment that Ganondorf was in no condition yet to fight, so I'm assuming they are even now binding the two pieces of his soul back together. Even so, we could not have taken them on alone."

Nabooru nodded her agreement. "I agree. It would have been foolhardy and most likely would have resulted in our death."

"Did they speak of Zelda?" Impa asked.

"Only cryptically," Nabooru replied. "However, I believe her to be alive. If she were dead, they would have simply said as much."

"And the stones?" Rauru prompted.

Nabooru hesitated. "Valek's response was cut short by your timely interference; however, I suspect from his expression that he does not have the Stones. But I cannot be certain." I nodded in agreement. While Valek did seem genuinely pissed about the Stones, he had also done a very good job of presenting himself as a very _genuine_ nobleman. My fists clenched in anger.

"Very well then," Impa said. Her eyes traveled over the faces of each Sage. "We have a duty to protect this land and its people at all costs. Fight with everything in you, as Link said. With the help of the Three, we will emerge from this day victorious."

At the close of Impa's words, each Sage returned to their position on the field.

"The Warriors should be here any time now," Impa stated, her eyes darting to mine.

Sheik's face flashed across my mind like a bolt of lightning. Renewed determination flowed throughout my body. I could feel heat building in my chest and spreading outward. Epona swung her head nervously, her mouth chomping at the bit. She pranced nervously as a deafening roar reached our ears.

As I pivoted to face Hyrule Field, my eyes confirmed what my ears already knew. The enemy was on the move.

Thousands of monsters advanced across the field at a dead run. Every conceivable enemy was there, every enemy that I had ever fought, and some I had not. They bore every manner of cruel weaponry, while others had only their deadly claws, poisonous fangs, and razor sharp horns. Epona stamped her feet and snorted as the enemy drew closer. Holding the Master Sword at the ready, I waited.

"The archers, Rauru, and lesser Light Mages will attack as soon as the enemy is in range," Impa said to me. She sat atop Reiyassan beside me, her eyes intent on the approaching enemy. Acting as generals, we would lead the army into battle.

"And then?" I asked.

"Then we fight."

As the words left her mouth, the twang of four hundred bow strings filled the air. The arrows sliced the air above us, creating a shadow as they passed overhead, finding their deadly mark in the bodies of the first line of enemies. The front line contained mostly Lizalfos and Wolfos. Bodies fell to the earth suddenly, arrows embedded in their chests and heads. The line continued surging forward. A volley of light spells rocketed into the swarm, bringing down some of the enemies further back, mainly Moblins and Dinalfos. At the head archer's cry, the second volley of arrows flew, followed almost instantly by more light spells.

"They come closer," Impa warned. "Prepare." She unsheathed her two fighting knives, her legs alone guiding Reiyassan's movements. "When Valek and Ganondorf appear, go to them at once. We will aid you as we can. You alone, bearing the Master Sword and the Light Arrows, can defeat them. Kill them, and save Zelda."

I nodded gravely, unsheathing the Gilded sword to hold in my right hand, the Master Sword in my left. "It is my destiny."

The first enemies were passing the bridge to Market Town. All those gathered tensed and gripped their weapons tighter. Nabooru and her warriors chanted a savage invocation to the Goddess of the Sand, while Ruto's warriors beat their weapons against the ground and the Gorons bellowed and pounded their chests.

Time slowed as the enemies came within fifty yards of our forces. I locked eyes with Impa. Her head tilted in the slightest of nods, and then her gaze returned to the approaching mass. She raised her weapons and cried out in the Sheikah tongue, spurring Reiyassan forward as I pressed my heels into Epona's sides. She surged forward, heedless of the deadly troops into which we charged.

Before Impa and I could reach the enemy, a great cry rent the air. From nowhere, innumerable shadowed warriors appeared amongst the charging enemy. Within seconds, the front line was completely demolished. The troops at mine and Impas' backs cheered at their timely appearance. My eyes instantly sought out Sheik's figure, some twenty yards ahead of me. His stature remained the same, though his clothing was now black and streaked with strange patterns of gray and green. He cut through the enemy with deadly precision, his strokes merciless. He did not look for me, his entire being focused on destroying the threat to the Royal Family.

For me, time finally regained its normal speed. As the Master Sword cut through the neck of the first enemy, a Moblin, the age-old rhythm of battle consumed me, and for many minutes chaos reigned and I knew nothing beyond the swinging of my sword and the endless parade of advancing monsters.


End file.
